


Fates Intertwined

by HRHDuchessOfLancaster



Category: British Royalty RPF, Original Work, Royal Fandom, Royalty RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-23
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-06-15 07:06:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 87,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15407652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HRHDuchessOfLancaster/pseuds/HRHDuchessOfLancaster
Summary: Prince Harry/OFC ; a bit AU.The status of the european monarchies were uncertain. Revolutions were spreading from the East and making their way into Europe.The bonds of succession had to be solidified. At all coasts.Being the "party prince" and the spare to the throne, Prince Harry has no rush to get married. It was never expected of him.But what if by decree of Parliament and the approval of the Queen and the Royal Family, he's obliged to do it?On the other side of the equation, is a red-haired English beauty. Born to the Duke and Duchess of Wiltshire and part of Princes William & Harry and Princesses Beatrice & Eugenie inner circle, Lady Eleanor McClaire was every bit the lady she was brought up to be, with a bit of a Scottish fiery temper.Returning home after 6 years studying in Scotland, Elle would find that her life wouldn't quite be the same once she set her foot back on English soil.





	1. Prologue: Wordily Changes

Disclaimer: This is a fictional work. I have no relation whatsoever to any of the real people portrayed in this story. I obviously don’t own any rights to their lives; all that I own is my imagination and my original characters. This a little bit of an AU, so bare with me, ok? Plus, it’s my first Prince Harry fanfiction. So I’m still collecting some data to write the story properly. Enjoy!

************

28th of July, 2014

“This is BBC Breaking News. An angry mob has gathered at central Brussels and is moving towards the Parliament. It seems they belong to the so called ‘Freedom Movement’ that has taken over monarchies in Japan and Jordan. The members of FM demand the end of what they call : ’ an ancient and retrograded institution that takes millions of dollars from our economies.’ . Their aim is to install a republic in every constitutional or federal monarchy existent. We’ve just received the news that King Philippe is at an urgent meeting with the Prime Minister and members of the Parliament to try solve this riot. We’ll be back with further news.”

 

9th of August, 2014

“ This is BBC Breaking News. In a sudden political movement, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark has abdicated the throne. Her oldest son and heir, Crown Prince Frederick is to take her place. According to governmental sources, this decision was made to avoid further damage to the system and the country, caused by the rioters of the Freedom Movement. Researches among the Danish shows that a younger monarch is favored by 79% of the population. Crown Prince Frederick is believed to have the ability to take the monarchy to the next step and break with some of the luxurious traditions upheld by the previous generations. As part of the abdication process, Queen and Parliament have agreed to cut costs within Royal Household and Funds. It appears that the monarchies as we’ve known are up to a rapid change around Europe.”

15th of September, 2014.

” Prince Harry has been spotted partying hard with mysterious women in a club near Chelsea for his 30th birthday. The fourth in line to the throne is entering his thirties and looks to be in no rush to settle down. Apart from the obvious ‘bad boy’ behavior, the prince hasn’t had a steady girlfriend since the break up with Chelsy Davy in 2010. While his older brother, Prince William is married and has an heir of his own, which shows a strong sense of continuity and stability to the monarchy, we cannot see the same for his younger brother. If , God forbid, something were to happen to the first three heirs, is Britain ready for an unmarried, party prince as a sovereign? Jonathan Crane and Barbara Clifford for Daily Mail News”

****

This is awful, thought Charles. The entire matter is nerve-wracking and very, very delicate. Monarchies are being threatened around the world and my son decides it’s alright to behave in such shameful way? I though this phase of his life was over, but since that strange affair with Cressida Bonas, Harry seemed to have returned to his old, almost-teenager, self. A knock on his study’s door, takes him out of his thoughts.

“ Come in.”, he says and the door opens, revealing his private secretary, James. “ Good morning, sir. I believe you have seen today’s news.”, he says, handing him the news papers and a box, containing documents and letters he must read and sign.

“ I did, James. Why does he keep doing that? Ah, I thought he had moved on.”

“ We all thought the same, sir. And, I must inform you that the prince has arrived and is currently on his way to his room.”, said James. Charles glanced at the clock on the wall. 8am. The boy has the audacity of arriving home at this hour! “ Very well. I must speak with him at once. I know we have a full schedule today but I must try talk some sense into him.”, said Charles. “ As you wish, sir.”, said James opening the door for Charles.

He made his way down the corridor and up the stairs at Clarence House. Turning left, he walked to his son’s bedroom door and knocked. He hears a growl and a faint ’ come in’. Upon entering his son’s bedroom, Charles notices clothes scatterer on the floor. Harry was lying down in his bed, on his stomach, with his face buried between the pillows.

“ Is this the proper time to arrive home? Have you seen the papers? Once again, you’ve made the front page. Harry, you are a prince! You have duties and obligations! You cannot simple decide to stay out all night. This behaviour has to stop at once!”, said an angry Charles. “ Oh stop shouting, will you. I know bloody well I’m a prince and I have duties! You, the press, the whole family and the entire bloody country don’t let me forget it! ”, said Harry,almost shouting. He was sulking. He had yet another media disaster. And to make things even better, another break up. So many things in his life were inconstant right now.

“Last month we received a report from Parliament stating our expenses and they went public, Harry. Do you think the people are happy with how much we spend while there’s been problems with food and water supplies around the country? We’re trying to please both the people and the government. But do you have any idea how YOUR behaviour can jeopardize everything we’ve been working so hard to maintain?”, he said, now facing his son.

“ You're a prince ! Act like one!”, exclaimed Charles. Then, after taking deep breaths, he continued:

“ We’re in the middle of a crises here… You know very well that every single monarchy is threatened. Do you think we’ll be able to stay out of it ? The republicans are growing stronger and our popularity is not going to stay up forever. Everyone is pleased at the present moment because of little George and seem to let your bad conduct slip. Yes, they’re are still delighting in the new addition the family, but how long will it last?”, said Charles, walking to the nearest window and staring at the gardens.

Harry frowned. Of course he knew about the this Freedom Movement and the riots but he never put everything together. Well, he’s been so out of sorts lately that he hasn’t been able to think properly anyway. Were his actions so bad? Were people blaming him for the decay of the system? Taking his head off the pillows, he turned to face the man standing in front of his bed. His father had made many mistakes during his life but he was able to overcome them. That’s what he had to do. Overcome all the bullshit of the media and the “girlfriend” drama he’s been leading on.

“Argh! It’s so frustrating! Why couldn’t I have had a normal life!? Nothing in my life is working! I can’t continue my military career the way I want because of my status, people around me go away because of my status. Ha! Speaking of which , everyone around me seems to be also trying to get into my life because of my status. I cannot trust anyone without first having a background check… It’s all because I’m a bloody prince!”, exclaimed Harry.

“ Yes it is - answered Charles with now a more calm voice - Our lives are not the fairy tale people imagine it to be. We can’t choose the family we are born into, but since you were born into this family and this institution, you must follow a standard. We have to set and example, a style of life and also show our commitment to our duties.” said Charles approaching and then sitting in his bed.

Harry was now in a full sitting position,holding his head into his hands. “ Son, I understand your frustration. I’ve been there. But things cannot continue this way. You must find a way to make things better. Start with quitting this lavishing and expensive parties and start dedicating yourself more to your charitable work. We cannot let this rioters infiltrate our country and mess with our family. Your grandmother is already taking precautions along with the Prime Minister and the Parliament to avoid any sort of discontentment. I advise you to do the same.” And with that, Charles patted Harry on the shoulder, got up and left the room.

Five minutes later, Harry’s private secretary, Daniel came in. “ Good morning, sir. I believe you know you’ve made the headlines of today’s papers.”, he said to Harry handing him a collection of newspapers he held in his hand.

“ Oh yes, my father made sure I knew and lectured me as soon as I got home. ”, said Harry, still a little angry. Daniel approached him cautiously and said:

“ If I may, sir. I think it’s best to listen to your father’s advice in order contain the political commotion. ”. Harry nodded, knowing that Daniel was right.

“ Yes, yes I know. He is probably right. But I can’t help feeling incredibly frustrated sometimes… to have my life set out for me. ”, he said sighing and getting out of bed. Moving around his room, breathing in and out to calm himself, he asked Daniel:

“ So, back to business, what’s on the agenda for today? Please tell me I have only light engagements.”. As he pleaded, Daniel let out a faint chuckle and replied:

“ Fortunately, you do, sir. You have a visit to a school in Nottingham at 11am. Then luncheon with your commanding officer at the Knightsbridge Barracks and finally, the National Portrait Gallery event with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at 20pm. ”

“ Great. Well, at least I have enough time to get a proper shower and meal. What time do we leave?”, Harry asked “ At 10am, sir.”,said Daniel and Harry only nodded. Daniel then left, leaving Harry alone with his thoughts.


	2. Chapter One: Old Friends and a Promise to the Future

**Disclaimer:** see Prologue

 **AN:** I’ll try remain constant about my story and the posting system I’m creating.  
Thank you so much for reading and for the lovely responses I got from the prologue. Feel free to send me messages commenting on the story and the plot line.  
xx  
Bea

 

************

At Nottingham’s Primary School, Harry was received by many smiling faces and joyful giggles. Little boys and girls were amazed by the dashing prince. They were very eager to show him their drawings, playground and classrooms. And the staff was not far behind the dazzlement felt by the children. One of them, pulled the end of Harry’s jacket, making him turn and look. It was a little blond boy, who couldn’t be older than seven. He smiled and kneeled before him. The boy looked closely at him.

“ Hi! I’m Harry. What’s your name?”,said Harry, crunching down to the boys’ height.

“ Benjamin, but everyone calls me Ben. Are you really Prince Harry?”, asked Ben “ I am. Why?”, he answered smiling “ Because I heard my mum saying that you’re up to no good and are a disgrace to the monarchy. I don’t know what that really means. Does it mean you’re in trouble? ”, said the boy. Harry looked shocked for a second but quickly recovered, boring smiles to everyone around. But no matter how much he tried to fake it, what the little boy told him made him cringe. Was this the imagine he wanted to show his people? Of course, if he were a normal person, that shouldn’t bother him.

But as his father so vehemently reminded him, he’s not a ‘normal person’. He’s a member of the Royal Family and people have expectations towards him. Looking at those children made Harry rethink his choices in life and also think about his future. It’s was and still is hard for him to find someone who will undertake the challenge of dating a prince,all the drama that comes with it and above all, love him for him. He longed to have kids but would he ever be blessed with fatherhood?

“ Sir, we’ve got to go. The luncheon with your commander is in an hour, so we must make haste.”, said Daniel and Harry nodded, smiling to the children that gathered around him as he made his way to leave the school. His RPOs, John and Leo were at his side as soon as he stepped out of the building. He waved at them and got in the car that was already waiting for him. As the car started moving, Harry asked:

“Daniel, how much time do I have between the luncheon and the Gallery event?”

“ I believe you have about 3 hours between the two events, sir.”, said Daniel and Harry nodded pleased.

 _Maybe I should talk to William before the event at night. I’m sure he’d have a lot to talk to me about what happened last night,_ thought Harry.

“ Sir, I have to remind you that since this is an officer’s luncheon, the dress code is formal. You’ll have your uniform waiting for you at your room.”, Daniel reminded Harry who, once again, nodded. The journey back to Clarence House was quick. His uniform was hanging in his bedroom and he quickly changed for his meeting with Nathaniel Craig, his commanding officer at the Knightsbridge Barracks.

At 12:30pm, dressed in his uniform, Harry left Clarence House for the Barracks. Arriving there gave him a sense of familiarity and comfort. He felt understood within those walls and among those people. People, who like him, new what it was like to be part of the armed forces and what it took to be a soldier. As soon as the car stopped, his commander, who was waiting for him at the entrance, moved to greet him. They saluted each other and happily embraced. “ Captain Wales, it’s a pleasure to have you here with us today”, said the man.

“ Thank you, sir. The pleasure is all mine.“, he replied looking around. “It’s good to back here.” , he said sighing and they moved toward the building where the luncheon was supposed to be held. The room was decorated in a Victorian style, full of paintings and some sculptures related to the armed forces and the services provided to the Royal Family. Harry was quickly introduced to the officers he didn’t know and happy to see some of his old companions. When they were to be seated, the commander raised his glass and said:

“ Before we start, I’d like to thank each and everyone of you for coming here today. It’s our privilege to gather here and honor the duty we bare for our country and also to remember all of those who bravely gave their lives in service for a better cause. Cheers! ”

” Cheers!”, said the company, raising their glassed in synchrony. Being a high ranking officer among the company present, Harry was seated at the middle of the table, at the right of his commander. Regardless of its formal appearance,the luncheon itself had a informal atmosphere. Many war stories were shared and tales relived by the different officers present. Harry found himself sharing his own memories and remembering some of the same experiences of the member seating with him at the table. At the end of the meal, everyone moved to a smaller room, where they could sit and talk more privately.

Nathaniel, Harry’s commander, and Harry seated together near the door.They talked about his career in the Army, the possibilities of promotion and so on. Out of the blue, Nathaniel turned to Harry, as if remembering something, and said:

“ I know it was your birthday yesterday, Captain. So, happy belated birthday.”. And handed him a small black box. Inside, an insignia of his Blues and Royals regiment.

“ Thank you, sir. I really appreciate it.”, said Harry, touched with the small gesture.

“ Ah, don’t mention it.”, said Nathaniel. They fell silent, and the senior officer sighed, looking a little uncomfortable. “ Captain, as your commander, it’s not place to comment on your personal affairs. What you do with your private life is not my concern. However… if you’d allow me, I’d like to say a thing or two.”, he said. Harry looked down to his hands and shook his head.

“ I gather you have seen the news about me, then?”, he said to Nathaniel and the later nodded. "As long as you do your duty respectfully within the Army and follow the rules, I’m satisfied.” said Nathaniel and Harry smiled faintly. Nathaniel took a long look at Harry’s face and continued:

“ But, as someone who cares for your well-being and the survival of this country as it is, I advise you to be more cautious with your personal life. We all know that the press will always be following you… I’m not here to criticize or chastise you. I’m talking to you as someone who is looking things from the outside of this frenzy. And it’s sad to see you wash away like that. My advice to you is, focus on your work. You’re good on what you do. Let your personal affairs to yourself for a while and show them what you’re really like, because the Captain I know is the one I want everyone else to see.” , he then stood up and walked to where two other officers were talking animatedly. Harry remained seated, thinking about what he had just heard from his commander.

This was the second time in the day that someone told him something that took him off guard and yet, made him reflect upon his recent actions. Leaving the Barracks gave a bittersweet kind of feeling to him. But alas, he had to go back to Clarence House. However, he wanted to stop somewhere else before going home. Turning to one of his RPO’s, Harry said:

“ Leo, can you stop by at Kensington for me? I need to speak with my brother,”

“ Certainly, sir.”, replied Leo. And so they made their way to Kensington Palace. On the way there, he texted with William to warn him about his imminent visit.

‘Hey Wills. Are you and Kate busy? I wanted to stop by for a chat before the gallery event.’

_’ Hi Harry. No, we’re playing with George. I’m sure he’ll be delighted to see his favourite uncle. Don’t tell Kate I said you were his favourite.’_

‘Ha! You own me one! But seriously, I need to talk to you about what happened yesterday. I know you probably already have something to tell me about it.’

 _’ Well, since you mentioned it, I do. But I’m not going to scold you, if that’s what’s worrying you. I’m sure Pa already did that.’_ Harry glanced at his window and saw that he was already close to the palace.

‘ Yeah, scolding of the year. But anyway, I tell you when I see you. I’m almost at the gates. Be there in 5.’

 _’ OK, see you then’_ , was the last text William sent him.

At Kensington, Harry’s car moved to the restricted section of the palace and parked. His RPO’s and Daniel went with him to William’s and Kate’s apartment, at number 1A. Once there, they waited outside as Harry knocked on the door. He heard laughter and a rushing sound coming towards him. The door then opened, revealing William and a tumbling George, running with his little legs towards his father.

“ Hi Harry, come in.”, said William, giving Harry a hug. Once Harry stepped inside, William turned to George, who was still tumbling towards them, and said:

” Look who’s here, Georgie! It’s your Uncle Harry!”, and George smiled, his baby features glowing with happiness. Harry then knelled down and opened his arms to him.

“ Oh, come here with Uncle Harry!”, he said and the little boy made his way towards him, his little feet stomping on the floor until he reached Harry’s embrace. Once there, Harry hugged him tight and lifted him up.

” Ahh you’re so big! When did you get to big?“, he asked the little one, who giggled in response ” Who’s my favourite nephew?Hm? Who is?”, said Harry, cuddling him.

“ He’s your only nephew, Harry.”, said Kate chuckling, coming from the sitting room. William and Harry laughed and George let out another giggle. Kate then came and gave Harry a quick kiss on the cheek before taking the baby from his uncle’s arms.

“Come with mummy, George. Daddy and Uncle Harry have to talk.”, she said as she picked him up. “ And while they talk we’re gonna have so much fun together, won’t we?”, she said smiling brightly at her son. The baby let out another loud giggle and they left the room, leaving the Wales’ brothers alone.

“ So, let’s hear it. What do you want to tell me, little brother?”, said William with a smirk.

“ Well, for starters, thank you for talking to me. I know it’s been a bit crazy around here with so many events, tours and a small child to take care of.”

“ Don’t mention it. You’re my little brother. It’s my job to help you.”, said William, patting his shoulder.

“ In that case, let’s get down to it. I visited a primary school today and a little boy said that his mother told him that, and I quote: ” I was a disgrace to the monarchy”. I mean, it doesn’t usually affect me but, hearing a child say that made me think. And… when I went to the Barracks this afternoon, my commander also talked to me about his perspective about my actions. As someone who’s seeing it from the outside what it looked like.“, he said and sighed. ” And… and I think they are right. I’m starting to see things clearer. It’s like I woke from a numb state. I guess it’s time to change. And this time, it’s for good.”, Harry finished.

“ Well, I’m happy to see that you’re thinking and feeling better now. I didn’t tell you before, but we were all worried about you when you started to go out with that girl. But these reactions were inevitable. You put quite a show yesterday and that only made your reputation as the ‘playboy/party prince’ worse. Again, as I said to you, I’m not here to scold or anything but since you are determined to change, I think you should start by apologizing to Pa and to Granny. I’m guessing they’re expecting it. ”, replied William in a serious tone.

“ Yeah, I know. I’ll ring her tomorrow and schedule a date. Maybe she’ll even invite me for tea.”, Harry said and William nodded chuckling.

” Yes, that sounds like granny.“, he said. “Thanks for the the talk, Will. I needed that.“

"Ah, what are older brothers for.“, relied William, ruffling Harry’s hair.

” Anyhow, I should get back to Clarence. Give Kate and George a hug for me, ok?“, he said and William nodded, standing up as he did.

” I’ll see you tonight.“, Harry said and turned and walked towards the door, to which William guided him. Before he could leave, William said smiling:

” And Harry, I’m glad to have the old, mature version of you back.“, Harry smiled back and walked through the door.

************

At the Gala event at the National Portrait Gallery, to which Kate is the patroness , The Duke, Duchess and Prince Harry arrived together. Outside, there was the same paparazzi commotion as at any other event. Only this time, it seemed that, due to recent events, they grew in number. Once out of the car, Harry, William and Kate walked together towards the curator of the gallery that was waiting to greet them.

“ Welcome, Your Royal Highnesses. It’s an honour to have you here tonight.“, said the curator, Mr. Forbes. Kate, stepped forward and took the man’s extended hand into her own.

” Our pleasure, Mr. Forbes.“, said Kate as she shook the man’s hand, all smiles. Mr. Forbes greeted William and Harry then turned and said:

“ Please, if you will follow me.”, and the three walked inside the building, smiling and waving at the crowds. Inside, the environment was completely different. There was an air of refinement and power floating around. Many of the guests of that night’s events were patrons and friends of the National Portrait Gallery. Meaning there were a lot of wealthy people gathered at this one place. Mr. Forbes as a good host, presented the royals to the important members present. Harry and the Cambridge walked around the room, talking to different people, moving from person to person, couple to couple. Harry was on full mode diplomat. Smiling and chatting to everyone, being as receptive and interested as he possibly could.

But that was until Mr. Forbes introduced them to very familiar faces. “ May I present to you, the Duke and Duchess of Wiltshire. They’ve been patrons of the Gallery for more than twenty years now.”, said Mr. Forbes with a proud smile on his face.

“ Oh, we’re already acquainted, Mr. Forbes. The Duke and Duchess are dear friends.”, replied William smiling. “ How have you all been?”, he asked the senior man.

“ Wonderful, thank you, Your Royal Highness. And let me just say it’s a pleasure to see you again. ”, said the Duke, while he and the Duchess bowed and curtsied respectfully.

“ The pleasure is ours.”, replied Kate with a smile. Harry was about to greet them when he spotted another member of the family that he hadn’t seen for 3 years on the table beside them.

“ I’m sorry but, Ed? Is that you?”


	3. Chapter Two: His Closed Circle

**Disclaimer:** see Prologue

____________________________________________________

The young man turned to face Harry, who was grinning, and looked astonished for a moment but quickly smiled back and replied, making his way towards Harry:

“ In the flesh, Your Royal Highness.”, saying the last words with a bit of mockery. Harry chuckled at his friend’s antiques and they both embraced. “ I can’t believe you’re here. It’s so good to see you again, mate. It’s been what, three years?”, said Harry.

“Three and half, actually. And it’s great to see you too.”, replied Ed. Turning to William, who looked a little annoyed and Kate who looked a little confused, Harry said:

“ May I introduce you to Lord Edward McClaire, Marquess of Wardour. Ed and I go way back to Eton days, Kate. I think you’ve met him before…“, said Harry to her while Edward nodded. ” We did…and it’s a pleasure to see you again, Your Royal Highness.“, said Ed to Kate, while taking her hand and kissing it. Kate smiled and both Harry, William and Ed’s father, Rupert, rolled their eyes.

” Always trying to charm other men’s women… He’s been like this since we were barely teenagers!“, said Harry and Kate giggled.

” It’s very nice to see you again, Edward. And Harry, we did met before. At one of your polo matches.” , said Kate to William who nodded. Then turned to Ed said:

“ But you look so different… And, if I’m not mistaken, you didn’t sport a beard last time I saw you.“. Edward chuckled, running his hand along his jaw.

“Hahaha. No… no this is a new development and I’ve grown quite fond of it, actually.” His mother, Victoria, eyed him intensely, shooking her head. “ I’d rather you kept a clean shave, darling. It suits you better.”, she said making the men present laugh.

“ My grandmother said exactly the same thing when I came back from Antarctica last year with a beard. She wanted me to shave before Christmas service but I got her to let me wear it for a while longer.”, said Harry.

“Well, mothers and grandmothers know best.”, replied Victoria in a knowing tone. Soon, they were engaged in a lively conversation. Ed talking to Harry, William to Rupert and Kate to Victoria. While the boys were discussing sports and politics, Kate turned to Victoria and asked:

” You have a daughter… Eleanor, am I right?“

“ Yes, ma'am. She was supposed to be here tonight with us but she couldn’t make it.“, replied Victoria and Kate nodded understandably.

” Oh please, call me Catherine. I fell so old when people call me ‘ma'am’.“, she replied and they both chuckled. ” I understand she’s good friends with Princesses Eugene and Beatrice. Genie always talks about her ‘dear friend Eleanor’ “, said Kate smiling.

“ Indeed she is. She and Princess Eugenie met at school and have been friends ever since. Though, with Eleanor living in Scotland for the past 6 years, they saw less of each other than they’d like…”, she replied. Then in a more rushed tone she continued:

“ And, if I’m going to call you Catherine, you must call me Victoria.“, replied the woman and both duchesses smiled.

” Scotland? Was she studying or working there?“, asked Kate interested.

“ She went there to study History and was living with my family. She just got her Masters at St. Andrews.“, replied Victoria proudly.

” How lovely! Ah, I miss St. Andrews and those days… I had a wonderful time there, and of course, that’s where William and I met, so it holds a special place in our hearts.“, she said glancing at her husband with adoring eyes.“ Is she still there?“, Kate continued

” Oh no, she moved back here last month. Though it was very hard for her to leave everything behind. Specially her boyfriend… such a lovely young man. They’re still trying a distance relationship, but to tell you the truth, I cannot see it working.“, said Victoria with a sigh.

“ Oh, I feel for her. It’s very hard to keep a long distance relationship. But who knows, maybe they’ll figure out a way.”, said Kate smiling a thin smile.

“ Enough about me, what about your growing family? How’s the little one?”, asked Victoria. Kate’s eyes brightened up and she glowed with happiness in talking about her son.

“ He’s very well… and getting bigger every day. Sometimes I cannot believe how much he’s grown!”, replied Kate and Victoria smiled kindly at her. “ I still remember those early years… do cherish them, Catherine. You’ll soon find out that they grow faster than we’d like them to…”, continued the older woman.

They kept chatting until Mr. Forbes came before and said, looking to Kate:

“ I’m sorry to interrupt, Your Royal Highnesses, Your Graces, but you’re needed at the stage to deliver your speech, ma'am.”

” Yes, of course. We’ll be there shortly. Thank you, Mr. Forbes.“, said William and Kate nodded. Turning to the McClaire’s he said:

"A pleasure to talk to you all, as always.But I’m afraid duty calls.“, and he and Kate walked away, moving towards the awaiting crowd. Harry, who wasn’t speaking that evening, stayed behind for a while longer to talk to the family. Rupert, who still hadn’t talked to the prince asked:

” So, Harry, when can we expect a visit from you? I’m sure you boys have a lot to talk about and I’d love to show you our new developments for the Wiltshire Foundation.“, Harry chuckled before answering:

“ We can schedule for maybe next Wednesday. How does that sounds?”

“ Fantastic! I’ll make sure to have everything ready for you at, let’s say, 5pm?”, replied Rupert, enthusiastically.

“ Perfect.“, Harry replied and both Duke and Duchess smiled brightly at him. Seeing one of the other main patrons, Victoria turned to her husband saying: ” Darling, look! The Cole’s are over there. We should talk to them.“

” Yes, you’re quite right my dear. Well, we’ll see you boys later.“, he said to Harry and Ed and the couple walked away, leaving the friends alone to talk. ” So, are you going to tell me what you have been up too these past three years? I know from our talks that you were in Germany but I never knew what you were doing there.“ , asked Harry.

“ Well, I was working with a German company, giving legal advice for the Deutsche Bank. It’s tough business, I’ll tell you. Lots of corrupted people and law breaking.“

” Wow, it seems you had quite the excitement.“, said Harry with sarcasm. “ You’re the one telling me? What was that about you getting naked in Vegas? Now THAT is excitement.“, said Ed chucking and taking a sip of his drink.

” Haha very funny.“, replied Harry with sarcasm. Then, putting on a serious face he continued:

” But seriously, I’m trying to put those days behind me. You know how bad things are getting around here.“, said Harry. Ed’s face turned serious as well before he replied:

“ Yeah, I know. My father and uncle almost went mad because of the Scottish Independence Referendum last month. Luckily for us and for the government, things went according to plan. If they didn’t, the scenario right now could be a lot worse.“, said Ed.

” Don’t remind me. But hey, you didn’t tell me when you got back in England.“, said Harry. Ed smiled and patted his friend on the arm.

“ Oh, just last week and I’m back for good. The company I’m working for wants me to deal with the banks here in England so…”, he replied shrugging.

“ That’s great, mate. And now that I know I have my best and longest friend back, we should start planning some activities, because it’s my duty to present you back to the London society.”, said Harry grinning.

“ What kind of activities? Didn’t you just tell me you were going to put those ‘party prince’ days behind you?”, said Ed.

“ I did, but that doesn’t mean I have to stop going out with my friends. I just have to do it moderately.” , said Harry.

“ Things are never moderate with you, mate. You should’ve realised that by now.“, said Ed and Harry tipped his head to the side, smirking. ” But, if you are sure this is not going to cause more problems, then yeah, I’ll be happy to. After all, I’ve missed a good three years of London society and its clubs I need to get reacquainted with it all.”, said Ed

“ Cheers to that mate.”, said Harry raising his glass. He then saw a commotion towards the stage and continued:

“ Oh, look everybody is moving to the other room. The speech must about to start. Let’s go.”

They moved trough the small crowd and took their places. Harry seated on the front role with William and right beside them, sat the McClaire family. Kate, being the patroness of the National Portrait Gallery, gave a speech about the importance of the maintenance and preservation of the arts, particularly the paintings, which were and still are one of the main vehicles of showing their culture and History. William smiled lovingly at his wife. He was absolutely beaming with pride. And once they locked their gazes, the only thing you could see was love.

Harry felt that strange pang of jealousy when he looked at his brother and sister-in-law. He wanted what they had in his life. He wanted that connection, that boundless love they shared. He wanted to be happy beside the woman he loved and who loved him back. But where was she?

***********

**Earlier that day**

**(AN:** now this part may seem a little confusing but it takes place at the same time of the events on chapter one. While Harry was doing his events this was happening)

Clarence House - Midday

Prince Charles had just returned from his morning engagement when his secretary, James, came and said:

” Sir, Her Majesty’s private secretary is on the phone. Says it’s urgent.”. Charles looked confused at him and the man shrugged.

“ Alright… I’ll take it on the office.“, he replied moving to his office. Once there, he picked up the phone and said, answering the phone: "Yes?”

 _“ Good afternoon, Your Royal Highness. Her Majesty wants me to inform you that she wishes to speak to you later this afternoon, at 5pm at Buckingham Palace. There’s been some development on Monarchic Matter and a meeting with other senior members of the Royal Family was scheduled to discuss such._ ” , said Her Majesty’s secretary on the other side of the line.

“ Very well. I’ll be there. Thank you very much, Matthew.”, said Charles hanging up. He got out of the room and said to James:

“ Cancel any appointments I had on this afternoon. I have an urgent family meeting.” The secretary nodded and, before he could leave, Charles continued:

” Oh, and warn my wife… we have to leave soon.“

**Buckingham Palace - 5pm**

Arriving at the palace, Charles and Camilla were met by the Head Private Secretary, Mr. Matthew Lloyd. “ Good afternoon, Your Royal Highness. Her Majesty and the Duke are waiting in the East Drawing Room.”, he said to the couple.

Ascending the stairs together, they turned left on the top corridor and Mr. Lloyd knocked on the door. They entered and he announced them:

“ Their Royal Highnesses, The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall.”, and left the room making way for Charles and Camilla to enter. They walked towards the elderly couple with smiles on their faces.

“Good afternoon Charles, Camilla.”, said the Queen kindly.

“ Hello mama. Pa, how are you?”, he said giving them both kisses on the cheek, followed by Camilla who did the same. They all sat on the sofa and Charles said:

“ So… what’s the rushed meeting about?” T he Queen looked at him and said:

“ I called this meeting to tell you something that the Prime Minister has shared with me some important news this morning. It seems that the government has come to a solution for our public and private problems.”

“ What is it, mama?”, asked Charles anxiously.

“ Well, Parliament proposes an arranged marriage between Harry and the Duke of Wiltshire’s daughter, Lady Eleanor.” As soon as the world came out of her mouth, a deadly silence hanged around the room.

“ WHAT?!”, said both Charles while Camilla had a look of shock on her face.

“ Bloody hell… who do they think they are to impose such a thing to us?”, blustered out Philip. The Queen, ever so calm, looked at them all and said:

“ Come come, now. Hear me out before you jump into conclusions and let chaos descend amongst us.”


	4. Chapter Three: A Queen's Command

**Disclaimer:** see Prologue

____________________________________________________

**Buckingham Palace - Earlier that day; Late Morning:**

Queen Elizabeth had spent her early morning reading the different newspapers and some documents sent by the Prime Minister and some Foreign Dignitaries. She was midway through yet another letter when there was a knock on the door of Her Majesty’s private study. Two men entered, bowed their heads, and one of them said:

“ Good morning, Your Majesty. The Prime Minister has arrived for the meeting, ma'am.”. The Queen stopped what she was doing and looked at her clock. _Ten fifteen, right on time_ , she thought. The man, her Private Secretary, Matthew Lloyd waited patiently until she moved from her desk to the sofa on the other side of the room. Once she was seated, she gave him a short nod and he left the room. When he returned, he bowed again and said:

“ The Prime Minister, Your Majesty.“ and left the room, making way for the other man to enter. Once the door was shut behind him, he walked towards the Queen who had raised from her seat.

” Ah.. Mr. Simmons. Good morning. How do you do?“, asked the Queen, amicably.

“ Good morning, Your Majesty. I’m well, thank you.”, said Christopher Simmons, the British Prime Minister. Mr. Simmons was a forty-six years old, tall, slim built, red-haired man. He also had a beard and was never seen without his trademark waistcoats.

“ Shall we begin?”, said Elizabeth.

“ Of course, ma’am.”, and he moved to sit opposite to the Queen, near the fireplace. “ Ma’am, it’s my duty to inform you that due to recent events concerning your grandson, the Prince Henry of Wales, the Royal Family’s popularity has decreased considerably. I received an alarming report just before coming here and that gives not only me but the entire government a great deal of concern, especially in the current situations.”, said Mr. Simmons, receiving a sigh from the Queen.

“ Yes, I’m afraid you’re quite right. I myself have been thinking over the matter. I believe my grandson’s conduct must be changed once and for all. The Monarchy cannot tolerate it any longer. We are past the time for acceptance towards his behaviour.”, said Elizabeth, straightforwardly.

“ Indeed, ma'am. On further news, there is still some discontentment in Scotland over its governmental situation. It seems that, even though the referendum was won in favor of the monarchy, that the opposition persists and, as some sources have reported, I’m afraid a part of it is involved with the Freedom Movement.”, said the Prime Minister and the Queen contained herself not to let her eyes show her concern.

“ Now, for the past months, the government has discussed a different course of action that could solve not only this problem, but also, your grandson’s.”, continued Mr. Simmons, making the Queen tip her head to the side and say:

“ Pray tell, Mr. Simmons, what is that you are suggesting?”. Christopher Simmons was usually a confident and composed man, but right at that moment, when he had such an important proposition to make to no other than the Queen of England, the Head of the State, he was fearing what her reaction would be.

” Since Prince William’s wedding, there’s been an increase in the talk of Prince Harry’s status, both as a public figure and as an unmarried man. So, the House of Lords has proposed and the Parliament as a whole has agreed, that a drastic change in both cases is necessary for the systems’ survival. Speaking of which, as you are well aware ma’am, the House of Lords in both England and Scotland holds strong blood ties. The spokesman for the Scottish Nobility, the Duke of Argyll, head of Clan Campbell, is not only one of Scotland’s most beloved nobles but one of its most admired and respected politicians.“, said Mr. Simmons but her Majesty looked at him quizzically.

” Yes, I’m aware of the Duke’s position. He’s a dear friend to the family… but what exactly are your intentions with this conversation. Please, be more specific, Prime Minister.“, she said.

” Of course, ma'am. Parliament proposed a marriage that would join his family to your own, Your Majesty. And we firmly believe that it could be the way to have the peace restored within Britain.”, spoke the Prime Minister.

“ I’m sorry, Mr. Simmons, but I’m failing to see how this will work out. If I remember correctly, the Duke’s only daughter is still a teenage, ergo,far too young for my grandson. I’m not completely against arranged marriages but I don’t think Harry would agree to something like that.”, said the Queen.

“ I understand perfectly, Your Majesty. But, as I said, the members of Parliament and I discussed all of its pros and cons previously and came up with a simple yet agreeable solution. We know his daughter is only fifteen and both legally and morally unfit to be married to the prince. Therefore, we considered another possibility. ”

“ And what is this other possibility, Mr. Simmons?”, asked the Queen.

“ We propose that the prince should be married to the Lady Eleanor McClaire, the Duke’s only niece and goddaughter. She’s eligible, almost the prince’s age and the daughter of His Grace, Rupert McClaire, Duke of Wiltshire, who is the Advocate General for Scotland in the House of Lords. We made a file on her. Here it is.”, he said handing her a document file and continued:

“ She has an impeccable reputation. Good student,just finished her Doctorate at St. Andrews, does charitable work and she’s good friends with your granddaughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, who studied with her at Marlborough College. Furthermore, her older brother, the Marquess of Wardour is one of Prince Harry’s closest friends.”

“ Yes, I remember her. Such a lovely young girl.”, commented the Queen upon looking at the picture of Lady Eleanor. “ That seems an ideal plan, but I need to take a look at this proposal carefully. After all, it’s my family that is at risk here. I’ll be in touch, Prime Minister.”, said the Queen, dismissing Mr. Simmons and moving back to her desk, with the proposal and file on her hand.

**Buckingham Palace - Current time:**

” Alright, I can see the reason behind it. We all know how dangerous these times are for us but, an arranged marriage in the 21st century? Won’t that create even more steam for people and this bloody Freedom Movement to chastise us?, said Phillip.

“ Yes, I’m aware of the matter, Phillip. But, according to the proposal Mr. Simmons delivered me, it won’t look like an arranged married. It will be a secret that only we, the girl’s family and the Parliament know. And, after much consideration, I believed it’s the right and best thing to do.”, said Queen Elizabeth.

“ The best thing to do? Mother, are you considering the happiness of your grandson? What will Harry have to say about it? It’s his life we’re discussing here.”, said Charles, anxiously.

“ Of course I’m considering it, Charles! He’s my grandson, for God’s sake! But before I am his grandmother, I’m the Head of State. Duty comes first. And right now, my duty is to keep this institution alive and the realm at peace.”, Elizabeth said.

“ As the Prince of Wales I understand that these measures are necessary but as a father, I’m not sure I agree with everything. And I know Harry won’t either.”, said Charles and Camilla and Phillip nodded agreeing.

“ Yes, I know… But I won’t back down on my decision. I have already given my consent to Mr. Simmons before you arrived.”, said Elizabeth calmly.

“ If the decision has already been made, then why call us here? My opinion certainly doesn’t seem to matter.”, said Charles. The Queen rolled her eyes at her son.

“ Charles, have care on how you speak to your mother and sovereign.” reprimanded Phillip.

“ I called you because I wished to inform you beforehand of the decision. Tomorrow I’ll talk to Harry we shall discuss the matter together. Now that you are familiar with everything concerning the matter, I’d like you to be present when I tell him.”, said the Queen. Charles took a moment to take everything that had just been said in and slowly nodded, saying:

“ Yes, yes of course I’ll be here.”. The Queen nodded satisfied.

“ Now, I wish to call in someone who is directly involved with this matter and soon enough, we’ll be calling family.”, said the Queen, ringing the bell that sat on the desk in front of them. Soon after, the door opened revealing a tall, well-dressed, dark-haired man. He bowed his head and moved forward, toward them.

“ Charles, Camilla, I’m sure you already know His Grace, the Duke of Wiltshire, Advocate General for Scotland and your future co-father-in-law.”, said the Queen and the man moved to take her hand and said:

“ Your Majesty.”, then turning to Phillip, Charles and Camilla, he once again bowed his head and said:

“ Your Royal Highnesses, it’s a pleasure to see you again.”, he extended his hand and Phillip. To Charles and Camilla, who were smiling, he shared a more amiable handshake. The two friends had known each other for years and consequently, their children were friends as well. But it’s been a long time since they have spoken to each other. The last one being at William’s wedding.

Sitting on another sofa, facing the fireplace, the Duke of Wiltshire stared at the royals before him. Even though he has been part of the whole process, he was still digesting all the information regarding the approval of his daughter’s marriage to Prince Harry. It seemed very surreal. Of course he has know Harry since he was a boy and considered him family but, to think that he would actually be part of his family was insane. He never wanted an arranged marriage for his children, especially not for his beloved daughter. But what could he do? With the Monarchy and relations with Scotland at stake, he was overrun by the other lords and the government. His little girl was trapped and there was nothing he could do about it, except hope that she and Harry would find a way to make things work between them.

” Rupert, I called you here today so that you can explain the last details of the engagement between your daughter and my grandson to the Prince of Wales. I’ll leave you to it. “, she said standing up, with Philip doing the same.

“ Yes, of course, ma’am.”, and with a nod, both the Queen and Prince Phillip left the room. Turning to Prince Charles he continued: “ The arrangement is very simple: Harry and Eleanor will be told separately of the arrangement and then we’ll schedule a meeting to go over the last details with both of them. They’ll be granted…”. Charles looked at the man who was talking to him. He sympathized with him and could see that he as well was not entirely happy with this situation. But, like him, he understood that this was the price they had to pay if they wanted to keep things as they were.

************

**Next Morning:**

It was another usual morning at Clarence House. Harry and Charles were sat, talking in his study when they received a phone call from Her Majesty’s office requesting their presence for brunch. “ I guess she wants to talk about the incident on my birthday.”, said Harry sighing and Charles nodded agreeing. He didn’t trust himself to speak, just in case he seemed nervous or said anything that might give out his knowledge about the true reason behind this conversation with the Queen.

“ It’s 9:30 we should get going, Pa. She wants us to be there at 10am.”, continued Harry and they left Charle’s study and went outside to the awaiting car that would lead them towards Buckingham Palace.

**\- Buckingham Palace: Mid morning**

Upon arriving, Harry and Charles were greeted by Mr. Lloyd and he guided them to the very familiar halls of the palace. When they got to the famous White Drawing room, Mr. Lloyd knocked on the door and announced them:

“ Their Royal Highnesses, the Prince of Wales and Prince Harry, Your Majesty.” They entered the room and the door closes behind them. Harry was the first to move to his grandmother, greeting he with two kisses, one on each cheek and then bowing his head. “ Good morning, granny.”, said Harry.

“ Good morning, Harry. Please that seat. There’s much we need to talk about.” And Charles moved to seat in the chair next to his mother, while Harry sat in the other facing her. “ You must be wondering what did I call you here for Harry and why is your father here as well. Well, we have a very important and delicate matter to discuss.”, said the Queen. Harry gave her a quizzical look before looking to his father.

“ I imagine you called me here to talk about my incident.”, he said.

“ Yes, I thought you would think that but that’s not exactly the reason, Harry.”, said the Queen to her grandson.

“ No? Then what is it? You must know granny, that I am terribly sorry for what happened and that won’t happen again.”, he said and she nodded.

“ Yes, I know. And that’s why I’m making sure it won’t.“, she replied in amore serious tone making Harry frown. ” Harry, you ARE my grandson and even though the possibilities of you inheriting the throne are very small, what you do weights on the crown and on this institution. I can see that your apology is sincere but unfortunately, in times like these, your actions have more effect than you know. And I’m afraid they have intensified the problems that were already severe.”, said the Queen.

“ I’m sorry, I don’t understand. What are you saying, granny?”, asked Harry. Before the Queen could answer, Charles intervened.

“ What your grandmother is trying to say son, is that what happened on your birthday was the last straw. There is so much the monarchy can take and the public is utterly discontent with us and, all of that combined with the commotion caused by the Freedom Movement, leads us to take some drastic measure to settled things once and for all.”

“ Yes, I agree and I’m committed to make things better. Surely the public opinion cannot be that bad because of what happened two days ago.”, said Harry looking at his father and grandmother. Mother and son exchanged a look and the Queen nodded to Charles, urging him to speak.

“ I’m afraid this is more of a growing condition, Harry. The Prime Minister and the Parliament have been working on a solution that could end all of our problems, that could save us all from the hands of the Freedom Movement, restore our image and bring back the peace within Britain.”, said Charles.

“ Well, that’s great! What is it?”, asked Harry.

“ It has been decided and agreed that in order to do so, some actions must be made and we require the ultimate sacrifice from you, Harry.”, said the Queen.

“ What do you mean by ‘ultimate sacrifice”?, asked Harry, impatiently.

“ By a secret decree issued by the Parliament and my consent, you are to be married to the Duke of Wiltshire’s daughter, Lady Eleanor.”, said the Queen. Harry looked aghast at his grandmother than at his father. “ I’m sorry, what?”, he said a little louder. “ You can’t be serious?”, he continued looking from Charles to Elizabeth. “You mean Ed’s sister? Me, married to Elle? That won’t solve the problem!”, finished Harry getting up of his chair.

“ Yes it will… and sit down, young man, I’m not finished.”, said the Queen. ” You’re aware that much of our disgraced image is due to your irresponsible behaviour these past months. The tension is building up and we can’t afford a disaster to strike the very core of this nation. You know that apart from being connected directly through an ancient bloodline to the most powerful of the Scottish Clans, the Duke holds a very important and vital position within our government in the relationship with Scotland. “, said the Queen.

“ So, just because there’s been some problems in Scotland, you’re ordering to marry someone I don’t love and to whom I haven’t even seen in more than 3 years?”, said Harry.

“ It’s not entirely like that, son. You’ve known Rupert and his family since you were a boy. You, Edward and Eleanor have always been a close bunch.”, said Charles.

“ Yes, but that doesn’t mean it’s alright to push me into a marriage I didn’t choose. I’m sorry, but I don’t want to be trapped in a marriage of convenience. I want to marry the woman I love.”, said Harry.

“ I understand perfectly, Harry. But there’s still hope for you two to fall in love. Among the sections of the document that decreed your marriage, there’s a clause stating that you and Eleanor have one year before the announcement is released. Maybe it will give you enough time to rekindle your friendship with her.”, said Charles and Harry sighed. He knew it wouldn’t matter or how much he fought it, it was already decided. There was no way out of it.

“ Harry, I’m truly sorry it has come to this, but I have no other option. I do care about your happiness but I can’t let this country fall, this familyperish. I know it’s a lot to digest but it’s the only way.”, said the Queen. Harry had mixed feelings at that moment. Yes, he was angry. Furious even. How dare they meddle in his love life? How dare they order him to marry a girl he barely knew anymore. Eleanor was indeed a lovely girl but it has been ages since they properly sat down and had a chat. Then, other feelings hit him.

He felt scared of the unknown future ahead, betrayal from his own family, compassion for Eleanor, who had nothing to do with this and yet would be forced into it as much as him and finally, he felt a sense of duty. A sense that was tattooed in his skin, into his soul. He was a soldier. And soldiers obey. They don’t back down on a challenge. They do whatever is necessary to defend and protect their home. And even though the feeling of betrayal would take a long time to leave him, he was determined to prove himself and undo his wrongs of the past. So, for Queen and Country, he would face this. Putting on a sober facade, he turned to his father and asked:

“ Does Elle know of this? Has Rupert talked to her about it yet? ”

” I imagine he’s going to talk to her about it today, son.“, said Charles. Harry let out another sigh. How was he going to visit the McClaire’s on Wednesday now, knowing of what was to happen? I can already imagine the tension in the room, thought Harry. How was Elle going to react to the news? Running his fingers in his hair, Harry looked at the two people sat next to him and said:

” Since I have no other choice, I’ll try my best at it. Just don’t expect me to forget or forgive you that easily for meddling with my life.“ Then, standing up he continued:

” I need fresh air, excuse me.“ and he left the room. Elizabeth and Charles exchanged concerned looks and the monarch sighed.

“ I fear that the price for saving the monarchy may cost this family more than we expected.“, said the Queen and Charles nodded, tired.


	5. Chapter Four: A Lady's Duty

**Disclaimer:** see Prologue

____________________________________________________

Eleanor McClaire behaves just as any girl of 27 would. She has a job, goes out with her friends, likes shopping, enjoys reading… All pretty normal stuff. But Eleanor was not a normal, ordinary kind of girl. No, she was Lady Eleanor McClaire. She comes from a very long lineage of lords and ladies, dukes and duchesses. Yes, the aristocrats could be a snobbish bunch but this was the world she was brought up in. And even though she was part of the nobility, she wasn’t stuck up like some of them were. Her family was very down to earth. Well, as far as noble families can be.

She grew up in Salisbury,Wiltshire with her family until she went to Marlborough College at age eleven. Then, she got into St. Andrews University, in Scotland , where she got her degree in History. It’s been 8 years since she left England and she couldn’t be happier to come back. Well, there was only one thing missing there. A special something, or rather, someone she had left in Scotland. Colin.

Eleanor met Colin Mackintosh at St. Andrews and they hit it off right away. He was studying Management and they shared a class on Medieval British Laws. Though they knew Elle would have to go back to England eventually, their relationship was solid. It’s been a little over a month since Eleanor got back from Scotland. She settled in her job with the Historical Royal Palaces, working at the Tower of London as the curator’s assistant. She and Colin skyped each other as much as they could and the distance relationship seemed to be working. Waking up that morning, Elle took a long shower and dressed for work. Going down the stairs of her family home in London, she met her parents and older brother Edward at the dining room for breakfast. Her father and brother were chatting about some legal affair while her mother was pouring some tea. Victoria, Duchess of Wiltshire was a true Scottish beauty. Red hair and green eyes, her mother didn’t look a day past forty. She looked up from her cup to see Elle entering the room and said:

“ Good morning, darling.Did you sleep well?”

“ Good morning,mama. And I did.”, she replied, while sitting down. When she did, her father and brother got up. “ Are you two already leaving?”, asked her. Her father, who had been too entertained in the conversation with her brother to notice her said:

“ Oh good morning, my darling girl. I’m sorry I didn’t see you there. I’m afraid I must hurry. But can you do me a favor? Please don’t schedule anything tonight. We need to talk about a serious matter and it must be today.”, she stared quizzically at him and said:

“ Alright, but what’s the urgency?” “ You’ll know tonight. - he said, giving her a kiss on the forehead and kissing his wife goodbye he continued - I must be off. Edward! Hurry up, boy!”

“ I’m here. There’s no need to shout. Come on, old man. Goodbye mama. See you later, little sis.”, he said giving both of them a kiss on the cheek.

“ Annnnnd, they’re gone.” said Elle. Her mother chuckled, shaking her head.

“ My boys, always in a hurry.”, said Victoria. They silently ate breakfast together until her mother asked her:

“ How are things with Colin, dear?”

“ They’re good, ma. The distance sucks but we’re good. Why do you ask?”, said Elle

“ Oh nothing. Just curious.”, said her mother, giving her a faint smile. Eleanor knew something wasn’t right but let it go. Finishing her tea and toast, she got up, grabbed her bags and said:

“ Well, I must be going too or else I’m gonna be late. Bye mum.”, giving her mum a kiss, she left the house. Her parents house was located in the border between Knightsbridge and South Kensington. It was easy to access the tube from there. It took 20 minutes to get to Tower Hill, where she made her way to the Tower itself. Upon arriving, she showed her ID and went straight to the White Tower, where she worked. Arriving at her office, which was not really hers, she saw that her boss had already arrived.

“ Good morning Mel, how are you?”, she greeted her boss, Doctor Melissa Richards, curator of the Tower of London.

“ Oh hello, Elle. How are you?”, she replied.

“ Good and ready to work.”

“ Well then, let’s get to it. We’ll receive three schools today. Can you spare some time to guide on of them? I know it’s not your job but we’ve been so busy…”, said Mel

“ Don’t worry, Mel. I’ll do it. When do they arrive?”, Elle asked.

“ At 9. They’ll start with the Beefeaters and then move here for a more detailed tour.”, said Mel

“ Ok. I’ll start with today’s paperwork and then 8:50 I’ll move downstairs.”

************

On her way home, she got a phone call from Colin. Excitedly, she press the button to answer it.

“ Hi darling.”

 _“Hello Elle”_ , said Colin. He said Elle. He never called her that. He always called her love, my lass, my darling. Never Elle. Something was wrong.

“ Colin, what’s wrong? You sound distressed.”

“ _Listen Elle, we need to talk.”,_ he called her Elle again and said the most scaring words of every relationship.

“ Alright, tell me. What’s the matter.”

 _“ Elle, we have to break up.”_ . Those words hit her hard and made her stop on her tracks.

“ WHAT? What do you mean we have to? Is it something I did? Is it the distance? You can’t let it tear us apart!”, said Elle, feeling her eyes starting to get watery.

 _“ I’m sorry love, it’s for the best.”_ , he replied in a monotonic voice.

“ But why? One minute we were fine and the other you want to break up. What’s going on, Colin? What aren’t you telling me?”, she said, silent tears running out her cheeks.

“ _Nothing is going on. It’s just, I need to focus on the company, on my job and I - I can’t be with you anymore, Elle._ ”

“ WHY? What being with me has to do with your work?”, she asks desperately.

 _“ I JUST CAN’T. I’m sorry.”_ and he hung up the phone. She couldn’t believe her ears. Colin had just broke up with her. After six years together. Elle cried all the way home.

************

She arrived home late in the afternoon, feeling exhausted, drained. The kids were fantastic but they tired her out. So many eager minds and witty questions. Seeing the little ones reactions to the History of the place around them made her day. Well, that was until she Colin called her. How could he be so insensitive? Opening the door of her home, she got it, took her shoes off, and started climbing up the stairs when her mother appeared on the hall.

“ Oh Elle darling, you’re home early. That’s good.”, said Victoria when Elle got home. “Darling, what’s wrong? Did something happened at work?”, she continued, looking at her daughter’s red, puffy eyes.

“ No, not at work. Work was fine. I had guide duty today with nine-year-olds asking who ask lot of questions.”, said Elle letting out a small chuckle. Her mother looked worried and said:

“ Then what is it, my darling?”

“ Colin broke up with me. By the phone, no less.”, she said in a mix of sadness, frustration and anger.

“ Oh my dearest, come here.”, and Victoria embraced her daughter, letting her cry as much as she wanted.

“ I just don’t understand what happened. Everything was fine.”, said Elle between sobs.

“ Sometimes we think things are fine when in reality they aren’t. You said he had been distant of late. Did he say why was he breaking up with you?”, asked Victoria as she ran her hand in her daughter’s hair

“ He said it was because of his work but I know there’s something else there.”

“ He was a lovely boy but maybe it wasn’t meant to be, darling. You’ll find someone else.”, said her mother, gently caressing her.

“ It’s just, we spent six years together, mum. Six! And now he throws away everything because of his work! ”, said Elle, looking with puffy eyes to her mother.

“ Oh my dearest little girl. You’ll be fine. You’ll see. You know, before I married your father I went trough a similar situation. I dated a boy for a while but then he said we couldn’t be together because he wanted to make a name for himself before getting married. He said he couldn’t see us having a future together and ended it.”, said Victoria and Elle breathed slowly and said:

“ I never knew that, mum. How did you cope?”, said Elle, sitting on the couch.

“Well I talked to my family and friends and after all the drama, I realised I should go on with my life. That I deserved better. Being stuck in the past wasn’t going to get me anywhere. So when I decided to forget all about him, I truly started living.”,replied Victoria.

“ And then you met the man of your life.”, said Elle smiling a little.

“ Yes, and so will you.”, said Victoria caressing her daughter’s cheek. And continued:

“ I know it’s hurting now but it will get better. Now, go upstairs, dry your eyes and relax for a while.”, Elle nodded and started climbing the stairs. She then stopped and said:

“ Mum, do you know what daddy wants to talk to me?”, said Elle and her mother brushed it off with her hand saying:

“Don’t worry about it. Just go and get some time for yourself.”, she said. Elle was so out of herself that she nodded and robotically moved upstairs. Arriving in her room, she jumped on the bed and stared at the ceiling. She had a bad feeling about tonight. Like something even worse was about to happen. I seriously hope I’m wrong., thought Elle. She then proceeded into having a very long, steamy and relaxing bath. Then, when she felt she was completely relax, she got out of the tub, dressed for dinner (nothing grand) and went downstairs into the sitting room. He mother was sitting there, reading some novel and seeing her arrive she put the book aside and said:

“ Elle, I know you’re probably debating in that little head of yours what’s going on but, I can assure you that everything will be fine.”, Elle eyed her mother and tried to guess what she was thinking. She then nodded and turned the telly on, trying to distract herself. After a while, she decided to go back upstairs and stay in room. She wasn’t really in the mood for socializing right now. Half an hour later, she heard her father and brother arriving. She started to move downstairs when she hear her mum talking to both her father and brother in rushed tones.

“ Rupert, today is not a good day to talk to her about it. She’s just got out of a relationship. She’s heart-broken!”, said her mother.

“ But she has to know today. I’m sorry for the unfortunate timing of the moment but it cannot wait! He’ll come here tomorrow to discuss the matter! She has to know before he comes!”, said her father.

“ Pa, I think mum is right. Elle is probably feeling like crap. We don’t need to put another thing in her head. We don’t don’t how she’ll react when you tell her.”, said her brother. Elle decided she had listened enough. She descended the stairs and into the hall and said:

“ Tell me what, exactly?”, catching all of them by surprise.

“ Oh Elle, I thought you were resting.”, said her mother.

“ I was but then I heard you all talking and, apparently, you all have something to tell me. Well?”, asked Elle.

“ Sis, you worry too much. And I’m sorry to hear about you and Colin. Do you want me to call uncle Ian to give Colin a lesson in how to treat a lady, literally speaking?”, said Ed giving her a hug and making her chuckle.

“ Thanks for the support big brother and no, there’s no need to call uncle. But I still wanna know. So, are you all going to tell me or not?”

“ Honey, I don’t think it’s the right time. You’ve had a stressful day, maybe-”, said her mum but she was interrupted by her father.

“ I think it’s better to tell her now and save her from even more distress later.”, said her father with a serious face.

“ But Rupert, she’s not well! Can’t you see?”, said her mother.

“ Hello! I’m right here, ok?! I can hear you. Mum, I’m not that fragile. I don’t know what daddy wants to tell me, but it can’t be worse than what I already had today. It’s not like he has life-changing news to share with me”, said Elle. As soon as the words left her mouth her family stared wide-eyed at her.

“ Well sis, that’s where you’re wrong.”, said Ed. Elle looked a bit confused at him. She felt a bit scared now.

“ I think we all should move to the library.”, said her father. Her mother turned to face her with a look of worry on her face before following her father to the library. Her brother stayed behind and said:

“ Look Elle, what Pa has to say is going to sound crazy and ridiculous but please, please, try to understand the reason behind it. And, no matter what, we’ll always be there for you, okay?”, Elle nodded. Now she was truly scared. Moving to the library, they all sat together. Her mum and dad in one couch and her brother and her in the other. There was a different atmosphere surrounding them.

“ Elle, my darling, your mother tells me you broke up with Colin and I’m sorry for the pain it must be causing you.”

“ Thank you.”, said Elle, giving him a faint smile. “ However sorry I am for you, what I have to you is of utmost importance and it cannot wait until you’re feeling better.”, said her father. She eyes him expectantly and he said:

“ You know about the Freedom Movement and its treats to the monarchy, right?”, and Elle nodded. He then continued.

“ And you are also aware of the problems in Scotland.”, said her father, carefully.

“ Of course, I was there when it all happened, daddy. I know the problems.”, said Elle sighing.

“ Well, the government has come to a solution for both problems. By decree of Parliament and Her Majesty’s consent, Prince Harry is to be married to a young noblewoman, connected to the Scottish Clans…”, he finished and she looked at him expectantly.

“ Well, that’s great but what does this-”, then it hit her. She was the woman. She looked wide eyed to her parents and brother. The look on their faces only confirmed it. Her heart seamed to stop. The floor beneath her feet seamed to crumble. She stared at the wall full of books in front of her. What was her father saying? How could this happen? Why her?.

““ I’m sorry but it’s the truth, my darling.”, replied her father, trying to be as gentle as he could.

“ Elle, darling, please say something.”, said her mother, worried. Elle turned to face her parents and said, getting up.

“ What’s there for me to say? My boyfriend just broke up with me and now you drop this bomb… telling me that I have to get married to Harry, Harry whom yes, I’ve known since childhood but that I haven’t been in touch for almost a decade, to supposedly save the monarchy !?!”

“ Eleanor, I know that you’re angry and sad but this can’t be undone; it’s already settled by the Queen and the Parliament. Please, hear me out. You and Harry won’t have to get married right away. You’ll have one year before the announcement is released. Maybe you get to know each other better.”, said Ed.

“ Please darling, try to understand-”, started her father but she interrupted him.

“ UNDERSTAND? UNDERSTAND WHAT? THAT YOU’RE TRAPPING ME INTO A MARRIAGE I DON’T WANT? OR THE FACT THAT YOU ALL KNEW ABOUT THIS AND HID IT FROM ME!”, said Elle reaching for the door knob. “ I’ve been here for a month and now, you decide it’s a good time to tell me?!“, she exclaimed. Turning to leave the room, Elle sighed and asked:

” Just answer one more thing: Did you tell Colin to break up with me because of this?”, she asked and when he didn’t answer she pressed on: “DID YOU?“, she said staring at her father.

 

” No, I didn’t.“, he said and she sighed. Elle then opened the door and stormed out of the library. She ran upstairs to her room. Once there, she screamed in rage, threw her pillows on the floor and cried. Cried herself to sleep.


	6. Chapter Five: What are Friends For?

**Disclaimer** : See Prologue

 

_______________________________________________________

Elle woke with a start in the next morning. The sun was barely up when she moved out of the bed. But instead of getting up, she sat there, remembering the events of the night before, still trying to make sense of it. Elle couldn’t believe what her own family had done to her, to her life, to her plans! How could they toss her in the middle of all this mess! _I need to talk to someone_ , thought Elle.

She grabbed her phone and dialed the unforgettable number. It rang five times before a sleepy voice answered:

 _“ Eleanor Alexandra McClaire WHY ON EARTH are you calling me at this ungodly hour? This better be good.”,_ said her best friend.

“ _Val, it’s an emergency. I really need to talk to you. Can I come over? Please?”_ , said Elle urgently. Noticing the tone on her best friend’s voice, Valerie sat up on her bed and stretched.

 _“ Alright, alright. Calm down… I can sense by your voice something very serious happened…”_ , said Valerie

“ Oh you have NO idea. But, can I come over?”, urged Elle.

 _“ Do you even have to ask?”_ , replied Valerie.

“ Thanks Val… You’re the best.”, said Elle.

 _“ Oh I know… And you should feel very lucky that I’m such a wonderful friend. Now come over here already.”,_ said Valerie, still sleepy.

“ I’ll see you in thirty.”, said Elle hanging up the phone. She quickly changed her clothes and grabbed a small bag, filling it with just the bare necessities for a night, just in case. She then hurried downstairs. As soon as she reached the hall she stopped in her tracks when a voice spoke behind her.

“ Eleanor dear, may I ask where are you going at this hour?”, said her father from the Drawing Room. He was sat on the high armchair he so constantly sat. Hearing his voice, Elle cursed internally and walked somberly to the door of the room. She looked at him. His face was somber, but there were hints of regret in his eyes.

“ Out. And don’t wait for me.”, she said in a monotone, moving toward the front door.

“ Elle, can we please talk this through?”, said her father, standing up from his chair and chancing her down the Entrance Hall. She turned, anger and betrayal gleaming in her eyes, and said:

“ I believe you already said enough. I need to clear my head and I can’t do that in the same house as all of you.”, and with that she left, slamming the door behind her.She could walk to Val’s flat but she decided to take the tube instead. The icy morning Elle filled her nostrils and Elle let out a loud sigh. It was so early that there was barely anyone on the streets. As she walked to the tube, she observed the people and the little shops, restaurants and cafes along the way. Some still closed, a couple of them were already opened and there was one particular bakery that seemed to be have just opened up. The though of a steamy cup of tea brought a smile to her lips. Deciding on a little detour, Elle walked towards the little bakery.

“ Good morning, miss. Can I take your order?”, said the friendly attendant. Looking at the menu on the wall behind the counter, Elle decide to keep it simple and choose her favourites.

“ Oh good morning. I’d like a large Earl Grey to go and a slice of almond cake, please.”, she said with a tiny smile.

“ Right away. So that’ll be £ 4,10 please.”, said the attendant. Elle picked up her purse and handed five pounds to the young woman. “ Keep the change”, she said to her. Shortly after, the woman handed her her order and off she went, back on her way to the tube.The South Kensington Underground station was particularly empty when Elle entered in it. Just a couple of warmly dressed people, including an odd looking man with huge spectacles, sleek black hair, dressed in a long beige rain coat. Opting not to care about the people around her, Elle embarked the carriage and looked for a far away empty section of it where she could eat her cake and enjoy her steamy Earl Grey in peace.

************

Popping off on the next station, which was Gloucester Road, Elle walked quickly down the street and ten minutes later, she was at Valerie’s doorstep. After she rang the bell, Victor, Valerie’s burly Welsh butler answered the door and let her in.

“ Good Morning, Lady Eleanor. Lady Valery is currently in her bedroom.”, said Victor, in a polite tone.

“ Thanks Victor.”, she replied, coming into the house as the man opened the door wide for her.

“ You’re welcome, milady.”, said the old butler and Elle nodded in thanks. Elle proceeded to quickly climb the stairs to her best friend’s bedroom. Lady Valerie Grace Wentworth, or Val as she was known to her closest friends, was the daughter of the Earl and Countess Stratford, her godparents. Elle and her parents have been close friends since before they were born and naturally, they became friends at a very young age. Elle knew that if there was anyone on this country who would understand her perfectly and who wound’t judge her, was her best friend. Val knew as much as Elle what it took to be an aristocrat in a modern, media corrupted world. Not only the pomp and perks of it but also the hardship and challenges faced by the ones on their social group. Being them meant there were certain things that should be done, certain rules that had to be followed, a certain behaviour that was expected.Elle stood outside her best friend’s room a knocked softly on the door.

“ Come in”, said Valerie. Elle entered the room to see her best friend sat on the floor, in her pyjamas, with fluffy cushions around her and a tray of goodies in front of her.

“ Hey girly! Come here and sit. I know you have a lot to talk about so, spill. I’m here to listen.“, said Valerie and Elle sat, without uttering a word.

“ Ok…”, stated Elle, breathing in. “Colin broke up with me.”, she spoke at once and waited for her best friend’s reaction. After a couple of second, it came.

“ Wait, WHAT? How?”, exclaimed Valerie, staring wide eyed at Elle.

“ Well, he called me and said he wanted to break up and I quote: needed to focus on his job.”, said Elle making quotation marks with her fingers. “ I mean, what’s that has to do with me? I’m not keeping him from his job!”, she continued, as she gesticulated.

“ Wait, hold on. He broke up with you BY PHONE?! THAT SICK BASTARD! YOU WAIT ‘TIL I GET MY HANDS ON HIM!”, said Valerie and Elle smiled.

” You’ll see… I’ll tear him limb by limb", continued Valerie, making gestures with her hands, as if strangling someone.

“ Oh Val, only you can make me feel better.”, said Elle and Valerie moved to hug her.

“ Honey, I’ll always be here for you, you know that, right?”, replied Valerie and Elle nodded.

“ I know. And right now, you’re the only one I can talk about this.”, said Elle, while smiling at her best friend. Valerie returned the smile but she could notice something in Elle’s eyes.

“ Wait… Look at me. Elle, there’s something else, isn’t there? What is it?”, urged Valerie. Elle stared long and hard at Valerie and sighed.“ Yes, there’s something else. But it’s super top secret. Like MI6 secret. I’m dying to tell you but I don’t think I can… Do you swear that if I tell you anything it won’t leave this room?”, said Elle.

“ Come on, Elle. We’re basically family. You know you can tell me anything.”, joked Valerie.

“ I’m serious, Val. No one can know! Do you swear?”, asked Elle.

“ Yes, I swear but what is so secret that even I can’t know!?”, asked Valerie. Elle looked around the room, locked the door and got back to her seat on the floor next to Val. Pausing for a second, Elle took a deep breath and said at once: “ I’m getting married. To Prince Harry.” Minutes past and neither one of them said a word. Elle was worried that Val went into shock while Val kept starring at Elle, for ten minutes nonstop now.

“ Val, please, say something.”, said Elle. After another full minute, Valerie finally spoke.

“ How is this possible? I don’t understand…Why?” , she asked, completely confused about the news.

“ Believe me, I’m still trying to process it myself. But trust me, this story runs deeper than a simple marriage proposal.”, said Elle.

“ That is, if you can call a marriage into the Royal Family simple.”, said Valerie and Elle nodded agreeing.

“ Exactly. Well, in a nutshell, Parliament has issued a decree that obliges Harry to marry me in a year from now. You must be wondering, why me, right? The thing is, I’m directly connected to both the government here in England and the one in Scotland, so I was, according to them, 'the perfect choice’ to solve not only their political instability but also the whole Prince Harry marital status problem. ”, said Elle, the last part in a ironic tone.

“ That’s bollocks! There are so many people who could have been chosen…”, said Valerie in an angry tone.

“But thinking it through…it makes sense. Your father and uncle are within the government, you know him for like, forever; you’re an aristo.“, listed Valerie, trying to reason with the problem. “Oh Elle, I don’t know what to say.”, she continued, putting her arms around Elle, hugging once more. That’s when Elle lost it. She began to cry all over again.

“ I - I don’t even know what to think anymore. This is too much and too soon! I can’t help but think that the fact that Colin broke up with me is connected with all of this. Why would he break up with me? Everything was fine. I bet my family in Scotland threatened Colin.”, said Elle angrily.

” I know they’re powerful, but don’t you think you’re exaggerating just a little bit here, Elle?“, said Valerie, wiping out her friend’s tears.

” Exaggerating Val!? You don’t know what they’re doing to me! My own family is trowing me to the wolves!“, said Elle while crying. Valerie looked at the state her friend found herself in. Not only physically but also mentally.

” I feel so lost… “, whispered Elle to her.

“ Well, right now, the only thing you can do is stay here and rest. I’ll call Trev and tell him that you’re sick and can’t come to work today.“, said Valerie picking up her phone to call Elle’s assistant, Trevor.

” You don’t need to-“, started Elle but Valerie cut her off. “ Of course I do. I’m you’re best friend and you’re in no condition whatsoever to work today. In fact, I’m not going to work either. I’m staying here with you.“, said Valerie dialling the number.

” But you can’t stay here. What about- “, said Elle but once again, Valerie cut her. ” My dearest bestie, have you forgotten that I am my own boss? I’ll simply call Natalie and she can take care of everything I had for today. Don’t worry. Now, go and make yourself comfy. You and I will have a pos break-up session, with movies, lots of chocolate and we’re gonna fix this problem, okay?“, said Val smiling at Elle

” Okay.“, replied Elle giving her best friend a teary smile.

” Great! I’ll be back in a moment.”, said Valerie leaving the room.

************

Elle and Val spent the day watching old movies, TV series and eating junk food. Of course, they also talked a lot about the prospect of Elle’s future marriage to Harry. When afternoon came, Elle was feeling much better.

“ So, now that you’re almost back to your old self, tell me this, can you pull this through?“, asked Valerie, stuffing a piece of chocolate in her mouth.

” I’m not sure yet, but I’ll have to. It’s not like I can change it. The decision has already been made for me.“, replied Elle, sighing.

“ That’s not exactly the spirit I was hoping for but it’ll do.”, said Valerie. Then, grabbing Elle by the shoulders, she continued:

“ Elle, you can do this! And who knows… maybe this marriage won’t be such a bad thing.“, she shrugged and smiled at her friend.

” I’m hoping you’re right, Val.“, said Elle, smiling a tiny smile. Suddenly, her mobile started ringing. She saw it was her brother’s ID. Elle groaned but decided to answer it.

” Yes, Ed. What’s the matter?“, said Elle with a tired voice.

” Elle, where are you? Mama is sick worried! Papa said you left earlier in the morning without saying where!”, he exclaimed. A few seconds later, she heard him sigh and continued:

“ Look, I know that this isn’t easy and that you’re angry but can you please come home?“, he asked, urging her.

” Eddie, I can’t. Not just yet. Tomorrow I’ll come home.“, Elle replied.

” But Elle you HAVE to come home! Today!”, he exclaimed. “Harry is coming here. Please tell me papa told you that!?“, he continued, sounding a little desperate.

Shit, though Elle. She had forgotten about her ‘soon to be fiancé’s’ visit. She had to go home. Even if her state of mind told her otherwise. She just had to put on a brave face. Elle wouldn’t let they see her so distressed. Oh no, she was going to be above it all.

” Alright, alright I’ll come. When is he arriving?“, she asked, running her fingers on her hair.

” At five pm. And Elle, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know the full extent of it.“, said Ed, whispering the last part. Elle could hear the regret and guilt in his tone.

” I guessed as much. I’m not that angry anymore but I’m not exactly pleased with the whole situation either.”, she confessed. “ I’m not blaming you in particular, Eddie but it doesn’t hurt less the fact that I felt betrayed by my own family.“, she finished.

” I know sis and believe me, mum and I tried to talk to pa but you know how he is. Plus, I think he’s afraid to contradict the government. Personally, I think he didn’t want this outcome.“, said Ed.

” Well I guess it doesn’t matter what he wanted. I’m the one who has to go through with it. But let’s try not to talk of it anymore. The more we talk about it, the angrier I’ll get. So let’s just let it go, okay?“, she asked him.

” If that’s what you want, fine by me. But please hurry. I don’t think you want to face even more drama.“, he said to her.

” Definitely not. I’ll be there in thirty. See ya.“, said Elle.

” Bye sis and just so you know, even thought it doesn’t seem like it, I’m on your side.“, said Ed before he hung up. Elle turned to Valerie, who understood where this was going and they both started to gather her things. In about fifteen minutes Elle had packed and was ready to leave.

” Thank you so much for everything, Val. I couldn’t have gone through all of this with your support.“, said Elle hugging her best friend tightly.

” Oh, you don’t need to thank me. If you need anything, call me, okay. And don’t worry. You’re secret is safe with me. “, she said, retuning the hug.

"Thank you Val. Really.”, said Elle and they smiled to each other. Descending he stair and waving a goodbye to both Valerie and Victor, Elle left the flat and went back home.

************

In fifteen minutes she was standing outside her home’s threshold. Opening the door she was faced with her parents and older brother.

“ Oh Eleanor, I’m so glad you’re finally home. I’ve been so worried.”, said her mother, hurrying to her side and hugging her.

“ Mum, there’s no need to be dramatic. I was staying with Val.”, replied Elle, trying to get her mother off of her.

“ Well, that’s a relief. Darling I’m sorry for everything we’re putting you through. It was not our intention to make you suffer.”, said her mother.

“ I understand mother. But I can’t help but feel betrayed by you all. It’s a lot to process. I didn’t choose any of this. It’s only natural that I felt the way I did.”, replied Elle. Her mother looked at her with gentle eyes and nodded then eyed her father, as if asking him to speak. Rupert looked to his daughter and approaching her carefully, said:

“ Elle, if will let me, I’d like to talk to you before Harry gets here.”

Elle looked at him and sighed. Yes, she was still very angry with him but fighting with her father right now wouldn’t be such a great idea.

“ Yes..sure. But can I at least have a shower and change before it?”, she asked him.

“ Yes, yes of course. I’ll be in my study.”, said her father, with glowing hope shinning in his eyes. Elle smiled briefly to her family and went upstairs to have a shower and change. Twenty minutes later, she was back in the hall, dressed in jeans and a simple white silk top, along with a grey cardigan and peep toe wedge pumps. Pretty basic if you consider she was meeting a prince. But Harry has never been a prince in this household, not to this particular family. He’s always been just Harry. Sometimes even Hal.

She made her way to her father’s study and knocked on the door. She heard a faint ‘come in’ and entered the room. Inside, her father was sat on the sofa near the fireplace and mentioned for her to sit opposite to him.

“ Elle, before I start, I just want to say how sorry I am for putting you in this position. It wasn’t my full intention but unfortunately, it had to be done. Your uncle and I found ourselves in the middle of this chaotic situation involving both politics and families.”, said Rupert. Elle looked at him with a somber face. If this was his idea of an apology, she wasn’t impressed. But he continued:

“ When the Prime Minister, along with some other MP’s and Lords proposed the decree, my own voice was silenced. I had to give in. I tried to keep you out of this, Elle. I really did, but I just couldn’t. I’m terribly, terribly sorry for not being able to protect you, my darling girl. I know I was harsh and unkind to you last night and I have no excuse for my behaviour. But please try to understand. And please, say you’ll forgive me.”, he finished.

She looked at the man seated before her. He looked tired. His eyes were teary and his words exhaled regret. Even though she was still angry with him, she couldn’t help but feel a little bit sorry for her father. She could see he regretted his decision. His eyes told her so.

“ I understand why you did it and also that the position you hold within the government requires certain thing of you. While I don’t agree with the measure taken, I will do what is requested of me. But I cannot forgive you. At least not just yet. It’s still very fresh in mind and it will take a while to ear it off. Which doesn’t mean I won’t talk to you. I’ll just keep some distance. I hope you can respect that.”, said Elle. Her father smiled and, crying softly said to her, holding her hands in his:

“ Of course, of course. I can’t ask anything more of you.”. Elle gave him a faint smile. He then got up and headed for the door.

“ Well, I’ll freshen up before Harry arrives. Please, make sure to keep your mother on her toes. She gets so stressed when he comes visit.”, said her father.

“ Yes, of course. I’ll see where she is.”, said Elle getting up and moving towards the door. Before she could leave, her father called her and said:

“ Elle, thank you.”. She just nodded and left the room in search for her mother.

***************

At 4:50, Elle’s mother started panicking. She was fussing over her, her brother, father. Even Brandon, the faithful butler was being harassed. They were all gathered in the drawing room waiting for the royal arrival.

“ Mum, please stop worrying. It’s Harry, for God’s sake! He’s basically family.”, said Ed.

“ He soon _will_ be family! When he was just your friend was one thing, but now that he and Elle are to be married it’s different!”, said Victoria, fussing around.

“ How so, mama? He’s still Harry. And we’re not getting married right away. You know that.”, said Elle, rubbing her temples.

“ Yes, but - ”, started her mother but Elle cut her.

“ But nothing. Relax. I should be the one getting worried, not you. I am the one who has to marry him after all.”, said Elle seating on the sofa. Suddenly the bell rang and Brandon went to answer the door. Within minutes he was back and knocking on the door.

“ Your Grace, His Royal Highness, Prince Henry of Wales.”, said Brandon opening the door. And with that, Harry came in, followed by his two RPOs. They looked around the room and with a nod, they went outside. Walking toward the awaiting family, Harry looked at each one of them. Rupert, Victoria and Ed he had seen recently and looked happy, but slightly overwhelmed to see him again.

Then, his eyes wondered to the forth person in the room. The one whom he hadn’t seen for more than 5 years. The girl he was going to marry. She had changed. _And a very good change,_ thought Harry. Stopping before all of them, he said with a smile:

“ Hello Elle. Long time no see.”


	7. Chapter Six: Leap of Faith

**Disclaimer:** See Prologue

________________________________________________________________

And there he was, standing in front of her. _Say something, you idiot!_ , cried her brain. 

“Uhm, hi Harry. It’s been a while.”, said Elle with a shy smile. Harry smiled back at her and turned to greet the rest of her family.

“ How have you all been since the Gala?”, he asked grasping Rupert’s hand for a firm shake. “ Well, I hope.”, said Harry to the couple.

“ Oh with some ups and downs, but well.”, said her father smiling, shaking Harry’d hand. Harry eyed Eddie and Victoria and instantly imagined what had been the source of their ‘downs’, for her was sure he what Elle’s were. Victoria, being the wonderful hostess she was, smiled brightly at them and said:

“ Shall we sit? I’ll ring for some tea.”, and moving to the corner of the room she reached to a intercom to call Brandon.

Meanwhile, they sat on the sofas of the Drawing Room. Her father sat in the sofa in front of the fire place, her brother beside him, on the right. On the other sofa, sat Elle with Harry sat beside her. They didn’t know how to act or what to say to each other. A strange silence hanged in the room until Brandon walked in.

“ You called, ma’am?”, said Brandon, very politely.

“ Yes. Brandon. Can you bring the tea, please?”, said Victoria, taking a seat on Rupert’s left.

“ Of course, ma’am”, he answered and left the room. Again, the awkward silence made its place amongst them. Looking around the room, Harry felt they were waiting for him to initiate the conversation. Moving slightly in his seat, Harry smiled and said:

“ Well… it’s hum… it’s wonderful to see you all again, especially you Elle. I heard from my cousin that you’re back for good now.”, he said, turning sightly towards Elle, who gave him a faint smile before answering.

“ Yes, I’m finally back for good. I finished my studies at St. Andrews so there was no other reason to stay in Scotland. Right, papa?”, concluded Elle, eyeing her father, who smiled nervously.

” Yes, my darling girl. Quite so.”, he agreed. “ And besides, you’re needed here, with your family.“, he finished, emphatically. Elle knew she couldn’t openly express her discontentment, but she found it harder and harder to have Harry sitting so close to her, knowing that part of the reason to why she was in this mess was due to the fact that he couldn’t control himself and behave like the prince he was. Her inner struggle was interrupted by Brandon entering the room once again, this time to deliver the tea.He poured it down, handing each cup to them and then left the room once again. As the group started drinking their beverages, Harry took time to analyse Eleanor. Not in a creepy way but in a more observatory kind of thing, noticing the changes and the constancies in her. Her appearance hadn’t changed much.

She remained her normal 5’9 self but her body was slender. Her eyes, he noticed, held matureness in them. He could see that she was no longer the carefree young girl he knew, who would always trail after him and Ed when he visited his friend’s home. She’d always been there, in the background of his childhood. Now, she was being drawn into the big picture alongside him.

Sensing his glare, Eleanor looked up from her cup and turned to face him. Harry greeted her with a side grin. Sneaky bastard, she thought. Harry felt hostility emanating from her. Of course, he couldn’t blame her for being angry or even sad. She’s been put in this situation forcibly and is going to face a huge challenge ahead of her with the media and the whole ordeal that comes with is dating the most desired bachelor in Britain. Apart from being in the spotlight, they’d have to make this relationship believable to their friends and the public’s eyes. Putting his cup down, he sat straighter and directed his eyes towards the people in the room.

” Well, I imagine you all know the main reason behind my visit, right?“, he said and they all nodded. ” It’s true that we had previously talked about it but, as we know, the situation changed. Not that I don’t enjoy simply visiting you, but there’s an important matter that must be addressed.“, he continued in a more serious tone.

” Yes, quite right. We all knew, of course. Apart from Elle, who was told just recently.“, Rupert said eyeing the prince. ” And we are going to make every effort possibly to ensure the success of this relationship.“, reassured Rupert and Elle glared intensely at him.

“ And their happiness, dear. Don’t forget that.”, pointed out Victoria, giving her daughter a small yet tender smile, which Elle returned. Ed, being the cheerful chap he was, couldn’t stand the tension anymore and, with a smile plastered on his face said to Harry:

“ Well mate, I for one am very happy that you’re joining the family for good. I’ve always considered you as my brother but now, it’s going to be official. But listen, if you even think about making my little sister sad or playing with her emotions, I’ll give you a beating that will send your sorry arse to Afghanistan and back.“, which earned him a round of chuckles from everyone and a hug from Elle, who got off her seat and to do it.

” Thank you”, she whispered in his ear, as she hugged him. Elle went back and took her seat again beside Harry. The conversation went on about all the details that Harry already knew but Elle wasn’t completely aware of. With time, he saw that she was getting impatient with the topic and the noticed that the hour grew late. Harry then stood, making everyone else stand as well.

“ Rupert, Victoria, Ed… I believe Elle and I should discuss somethings alone. After all, we are the main parts involved in this.”, said Harry. Elle looked a bit shocked but didn’t say anything. Her parents shared a look and nodded. ” Of course. We’ll be in the living room if you need us. Take as much time as you need.“, said Rupert and they all left the couple alone. Taking this time to get closer to her, Harry sat back in the sofa and patted the cushion beside him, calling her to sit beside him. ” Please,Elle. Take a seat.”, he said and she sat where she was previously seated. _Now this should be interesting,_ thought Elle.

” First of all, I’d like to apologize for putting you in this situation. I can imagine what it must feel like to-“, started Harry, in a soft tone, snuggling ever so gently, closer to her on the sofa.

” No you can’t”, said Elle in a calm yet cold tone, cutting him off.

“ What?”, asked Harry, slighted surprise.

“ I said, **no you can’t**.“, she said, breathing deeply.

” Before this bomb dropped in my life, I had other plans; a job prospect, a career, a research, a boyfriend, whom I’m pretty sure just broke up with me because of this thing…”, listed Elle, with the calmest voice she could conjure at the time. She was done with the tears. She had to put herself together.

“ Boyfriend?“, he asked, eyes widening. ” Ahh, this worse than I’ve imagined.“, Harry continued, running his hand through his hair.

” I’m so sorry. I truly didn’t know any of this.”, he finished, taking her hand into his. Elle didn’t move hers. Breathing in deeply again, she turned slightly on the sofa, her eyes on the same level as his.

“ I wouldn’t have expected you to.“, she confessed. ” But… when my father told me, my boyfriend, or should I say ex-boyfriend, had just broken up with me. Needless to say that I was beyond furious and sad that night.”, said Elle. Harry couldn’t believe his ears. _How could Rupert be so inconsiderate to his own daughter?_ , he thought. No wonder she was so hostile towards him. Harry then decided it was time to make this right and closed in even more the distance between them.

“ Look Elle, I know that this is not what we both wanted or dreamed of, but it’s what we have right now. So… I’m going to make a proposition to you: we go out, just as friends, and get to know each other better.“, he urged her. “Because let’s be honest, I know barely nothing of this new you. The girl I remember is no longer here. So,what do you say?”, he finished, earning him a chuckle from her.

Elle then took a minute to dive into Harry’s eyes. When they were children, she could always tell what was happening to him by looking into his eyes. Right now, they were understanding and so full of hope, that made Elle want to believe they could somehow work this whole thing out. Closing her eyes and sighing, she let go of his hands and, slowly opening her eyes again, she looked right back at him.

“ I say we can at least try.”, she said with a thin smile. “ We’ve been around each other since we were children so I hope this makes it easier for us. Besides, if we want this relationship to work, we’ll have to at least be friends and make ourselves comfortable around each other, don’t we? So yes, let’s do this. Since Parliament gave us no other choice, the best we can do is be in this together, as a team. ”, she finished, emphasising the last part by holding his hand tighter. Harry let out the breath he was holding in a sign of relief and smiled brightly at her.

He wanted to make this work. He wanted to prove to his family and the people that his ‘rebel prince’ days were behind him. But before he could open his mouth to thank her she stopped him and said:

“ However, what I want you to understand Harry, is that even though I’m doing this, it doesn’t mean I’m completely happy about it. You must know that this last two days haven’t been easy for me and I’m well aware of the challenges ahead but I’m still healing from all the emotional shock I’ve been through, so please, don’t push me, ok?”

“ I’d never push you, Elle. I understand completely where you’re coming from and I can somewhat relate to that. I myself had a bad break up not long ago and like you, I was thrown into this, except that, contrary to you, I deserve it.”, said Harry, hanging his head low. “ As I said to your brother during the Gala, I’m determined to change and show everyone that I’m responsible and committed to my work and my role as a member of the Royal Family. And, I’m extremely grateful to have you by my side to do that. As you said yourself, we’ve know one another since we were children. What better person to have beside me than someone who I’ve known for so long?”, he said to her.

Of course Elle knew that this was his chance to make it right and she was going to be there to help him, as good friends should do. True, they haven’t seen each other for a long time but they were still friends, right? Interrupting her train of thought Harry said:

“ So, when and where do you wanna start this?”

“ Well, let’s start with something light. How about I call Eugenie and we get my brother and have a night-in here?” she suggested. “We can watch some movies and talk a little. Just, you know, normal friends stuff. That way. we can ask each other what’s been going on in our lives without that odd environment where we have to stare to each other’s faces all night.”, she continued chuckling slightly.

“ I like it. How about on Saturday?”, suggested Harry.

“ Yeah, sure. I was going to call Genie today anyway so I’ll tell her then. And Ed is here already so, that’s easy.”, said Elle, shrugging and nodding to Harry.

“ Do you want me to bring anything?”, he asked her.

“ Whatever movie you like. We have quite a selection here but if you want to bring one, fell free to.”, she replied, smiling a thin smile at him.

“ Well, that was easier than I thought it would be.”, said Harry with a smirk and a sigh.

“ Yeah. I was expecting more awkwardness.”, replied Elle and they both laughed. _Maybe we CAN work it out. So far, so good_ , thought Elle.

************

After Harry had left, the whole McClaire family was sitting in the living room together. Elle’s mother, who was dying to know what had happened after she left Harry and Elle in the room turned to her daughter and asked:

“ Oh darling, just tell me already. What have you two talked about?”, in a desperate tone. Elle chuckled at her mother’s attitude and shook her head.

“ Well, we mainly discussed how we’d like to do this relationship thing and we decided to start getting to know each other better but just as friends would. We want this to progress on its own accord.”, she replied to her mother. “He and Eugenie are coming here on Saturday for a movie session. You’re also invited,Ed.”, she said, turning to her brother who was entertained, playing a game on his phone.

“ That’s wonderful, dear.”, said her mother, a little disappointed.

“ I’m not leaping of joy here but that’s the best we can do under the circumstances.”, Elle replied, sighing.

“ I’m sure everything will be alright in the end.”, said her mother, grasping Elle’s hand and patting it gently.

“ We’ll see, mum.”, said Elle, smiling gently at her.

**********

Late that night, after dinner, Elle went back to her room for a little rest. Laying in her bed, she picked up her mobile and dialed Eugenie’s familiar number. After two tones, the woman answered.

 _“ Hello Elle! I was just about to call you!_ ”, said Eugenie in a concerned tone.

“ Hey Genie, how are you?”, asked Elle.

 _“ Oh I’m great, but the real question is how are you? Harry’s told me. But don’t worry. Only I know. Bea and the rest of the family have no idea.”_ , she said.

 _Of course he would tell her_ , thought Elle.

 _“ I’m so sorry…I mean, I’m glad you’re joining the family at some point but this is not the way I’d want you to.”_ , continued Eugenie.

” Thank you, Genie. Well, I’m hanging in there. I’m much more conformed with the decision, to be honest… but then, I’m still a little emotional because not only was I told yesterday about this but also Colin broke up with me.“, said Elle in a tired tone.

 _” WAIT, HE DID WHAT?“,_ exclaimed Eugenie through the phone.

” Yep…“, replied Elle, popping the last letter when she said it.

 _” I can’t believe him! Scottish bastard… Oh Elle….“,_ said Eugenie in a hushed tone.

” Val had the same reaction when I told her.“, said Elle.

 _” I’d imagine she did…Oh it’s been ages since I last saw her. We must schedule something.“_ , replied Eugenie.

” We should. But enough about Colin. I don’t want to think about him anymore. On that note, Harry came by today.“, she said to her.

 _” Did he now? And I suppose you two talked about ‘the situation’. “,_ enquired Eugenie.

” We did and we decided to take it slowly. And speaking of taking it slow, I’m demanding your help.“, said Elle.

 _” Oh? What for?“_ , asked Eugenie.

” I’m inviting you to a movie session here, this Saturday, starting at 7pm. Just you, me, Ed ad Harry. I want us to have this friendly environment to starts things off. And I really need you to be here to easy the tension that might come up. What do you think?“, asked Elle, biting her lip.

 _” I think it’s brilliant. I’ll bring some ice cream.“_ , said Eugenie. Elle smiled at her friend’s reply.

“Great! So I’ll see you then.”, finished Elle. The party was on the move.


	8. Chapter Seven: Learn Me Right

**Disclaimer:** See Prologue

______________________________________________________________

On the next day, Elle woke still feeling a little bit strange. It was as if her head was filled with air. She thought she had already come to terms with her future but, in truth, it seemed she wasn’t quite there yet.

She got up and got ready to work, to return to her normal routine. Well, as normal as it could be after everything that has happened.

Arriving at the Tower that morning, she pondered over its monumental architecture and History. How many members of royalty, nobility and peasantry had walked through these halls? Stepped on this floor? Were imprisoned within these walls? The Tower was a royal institution, much like the family she was soon to be a part of. Monumental, fearsome and regal.

Of course, Harry and her had agreed to try and work this out by being friends but, she still couldn’t help but feeling trapped and thrown into a life, a royal life, she didn’t wanted. Just accept it, Elle. It’s for the best., the rational part of her brain kept telling her as she walked down the stairs to her office. Elle walked through the narrow staircases and corridors until she reached her boss’s office.

Dr. Melissa Richards was sitting behind her desk, gloves and magnifying glass in hand, reading yet another medieval manuscript. Melissa met Elle at St. Andrews and after seeing her presentation on Medieval English History, invited Elle to come work with her. She treated Elle as an equal and they soon became good friends.The older woman prided herself for having a keen eye for young talent and she saw in Elle a brighter, more fresh version of her young self. She was sure this young lady could go far. Upon hearing the sound of Elle’s shoes entering the room, Melissa lifted her head up and smiled.

“ Elle! Good, you’re early! How are you? I hope you’re feeling better.”, she said with a kind smile.

“ Oh yes, much better. I don’t know exactly what it was but it seemed to have passed overnight.”, lied Elle. She obviously could’t tell Melissa about her nervous breakdown about getting married to a member of the Royal Family.

“ Wonderful! I was just looking at these 12th century manuscripts we received from Aquitaine and Anjou and I think they have great potential. Come, take a look.”, said Melissa, moving to the left to allow Elle to approach the table. Elle then but some gloves on and looked at the manuscript in front of her, tracing the lines on the paper and paying attention to the stylish penmanship. After a couple of minutes, she smiled brightly to her boss.

“ Indeed they do! This part right here explaining the influence of Plantagenet laws inside actual French territories.“, exclaimed Elle in wonder. ” It’s fascinating that they speak of not only Angevin territories, but actual French dominion! It is brilliant! It’s just what we were looking for! ”, said Elle excitedly.

“ Elle, I believe we have a chance to literally make History here! ”, said Melissa to Elle and they hugged each other and chuckled.

“ Did you know that I was named Eleanor after the great Duchess of Aquitaine, later Queen of England?”, asked Elle.

“ Really? Does your family have any connection to her?”, inquired Melissa.

“ I don’t know really… But it would be nice if I had, wouldn’t it?”, said Elle smiling.

“ Hahaha Absolutely!“, said Melissa smiling. ” Can you imagine? Descendent of ’ Eleanor, By the Wrath of God, Queen of England’ ?”, said Melissa and they both laughed.

“ Listen, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.“, started Elle and Melissa looked at her quizzically. “Can I work with the guided tours for young children? I’d still be doing my research, of course, but I found the experience so refreshing that I’d like to make it permanent. Besides, I’d only be doing two per day. So, what do you think?”, asked Elle. Melissa seamed to ponder for a while before she broke into a smile.

“ Well, if it doesn’t interfere with your research, then it’s fine by me. But you’ll have to talk to the chief guides.”, said Melissa to her.

“ I already did and they loved the idea. They said the children and teachers were very impressed by my tour. They said I can start today if you let me.”, said Elle, feeling hopeful..

“ Oh, well, alright. I don’t see why not. What time did they say this tour was?, asked Melissa.

” 10am.”, replied Elle with a smile. “ We still have an hour before it starts. So, shall we dig in?”, suggested Elle.

“ We shall!”, said Melissa, handing Elle another magnifying glass.

*************

The week continued smoothly with Elle helping out with the guided tours and continuing her research. On saturday morning, Elle went for a run in Hyde Park with Valerie. They’ve always ran together and ever since Elle came back from Scotland, they resumed their activities.

“ So, Elle, my dearest bestest friend, tell me… how it went with Harry?”, asked Valerie while they ran alongside the Serpentine.

“ We talked. It was extremely awkward to say the least. We just figured there’s not much we can do about it, really. Part of his family knows…“, spoke Elle, slightly out of breath. ”… and by family I mean just the closest ones. So we decided to rekindle our friendship, seeing as this will make things a lot easier along the way.”, Elle replied.

“ Well, that was very…. sensible of you and, considering everything, the best thing you two can do. By the way, when are we having a get together? It’s been ages since I got an excuse to party with the royals… I’m your best friend but I’m not exactly part of his “selected club’.”, said Valerie.

“ I don’t know, Val. And plus, it’s not like you haven’t met each other already.”, said Elle rolling her eyes at her friend.

“ Oh please!”, retorted Valerie. “ We were practically children back then!”, she exclaimed.

“ Alright, alright. But let me at least get to know this ‘grown up’ version of him better, before I start to introduce him to my friends.”, said Elle.

“ Fine, I’ll wait.”, replied Valerie sighing.

“ He’s coming visiting tonight.”, said Elle and Valerie smirked. “ Don’t get any ideas! I know how your dirty little mind works. My brother and Genie will be there as well.”, continued Elle.

“ Buzz kill!”, exclaimed Valerie. “ You know you could use these so called deal between you an Harry to your own advantage. Get your hands on that fine piece of royal flesh!”, the brunette continued. “ I know that if I were in your place that’s what I’d do!”, she finished, earning herself a gasp from her friend.

“ Valerie!”, exclaimed Elle, while she shook her head.

“ I’m serious! He’s hot and you’re bound together one way or the other by that decree! You might as well enjoy this arrangement to the fullest.”, said Valerie as a matter of fact and Elle chuckled.

************

After their run in the park, Elle went to Valerie’s home to change and then they spent the afternoon having some girl to girl talk, walking around London and going to their favourite shops and cafés. When she finally got home, around half past five in the afternoon, she ran straight to her room to wash up and changed into more comfortable clothes.

Once she was happy with herself, feeling much more relaxed, Elle went down to the kitchen.There, she was met with the warm and caring smile of Mrs. Taylor or simply Margaret, the family cook. There are seven people working for the McClaire’s at their London home.There are the Millers: Brandon, the butler who is married to Olivia, the housekeeper. Then the Stuarts: Jane, the her mother’s maid and her brother, Gregory the father’s valet, who are more like assistants than servants really. And finally, the Taylors: Peter, the gardener who’s married to Margaret, the cook; their son Trevor, is a footman/driver. He’s four years younger than Elle.

“ Oh hello young lady. How are you doing today?”, asked Mrs. Taylor.

“ Good! The real question here is how are you, Margaret? Is your hand better?”, asked Elle a little bit concerned for the older woman.

“ Oh it’s better. Not the same thing it was but…”, replied Mrs. Taylor.

“ Well, you take care of yourself, alright?”, said Elle, taking the older woman’s hand into hers, giving it a gentle squish.

“ Will do. Is there anything that you need?”, she asked while steering what it looked like to be soup.

“ I was just going to bake something for tonight. I guess mother told you all about our illustrious visitors.”, said Elle with a little bit of sarcasm in the end.

“ Oh yes… ”, replied Mrs. Taylor. “She’s very anxious about their royal highnesses coming here today.”, she continued as she stirred the hot bubbly liquid.

“ That’s mother to you. Thank God she and daddy won’t be here tonight.”, said Elle sighing. “ Anyway, important question: biscuits or fairy cakes?”, she asked the woman.

“ Oh fairy cakes dear, definitely!”, replied the cook with a smile.

” Alright! I’ll get started then!“, said Elle grabbing a spare apron. She then moved around the kitchen, collecting the baking materials she’d need, much to the enjoyment of the loving cook.

*************

It was 5pm when Elle went back upstairs to shower and change for the night. She decided on a comfy yet casual outfit. Casual enough for such occasion that is. She got downstairs and moved to the leaving room and started working on the selection of the DVDs they had at home. Harry would probably bring something else also. It was almost 6pm when her brother got home, bringing a package full of snacks with him. He walked into the room and found Elle sitting on the floor, with piles of DVDs surrounding her.

” Hey there sis.“, he said walking to her and giving her a peck on the cheek. ” I see you’re getting busy already.“, he pointed to the DVDs on the floor.

” Hey Ed. Yeah, someone has to.“, she said and Ed rolled his eyes. ” By the way, is Harry a geek guy?“, Elle asked and Ed shrugged.

” I guess… I mean, you know, just the normal stuff: Star Wars,Marvel movies, DC movies, that kind of thing.“, he said leaving the package he brought on the table.

” Great! So I’ll add Episode III to the list. You know it’s my favourite.“, she replied happily.

” You do that and I’ll go shower. Be back in a sec.“, said Ed giving her kiss on the temple and leaving the room.

************

Just before 7pm, the door bell rang. Elle and Ed had put the snacks into bowls and Ed was bringing some drinks to the living room while Elle was putting the first movie on. In less than 3 minutes Brandon was entering the room, followed by Harry, Genie and their RPO’s.

“Their Royals Highness, ma'am.”, said Brandon as the company walked into the room.

“ Thank you Brandon.”, said Elle and he bowed his head and let the security officers step in. They looked around the room and left behind Brandon. Then, Harry and Eugenie stepped in. The woman was the first to greet Elle.

“ Elle! Oh my goodness! It’s been so long!” , she said hugging Elle tightly.

“ Oh Genie.”, said Elle returning her hug. “ It’s so good to see you again!”, she replied and they chuckled. Harry observed their interaction silently. Noticing Ed in the corner of the room, he went there to greet him.

“ Hey mate. “, said Harry giving Ed a handshake and a hug.

” Hi Harry. How have you been?“, asked Ed hugging him.

” Same old. Nothing new. Just a bit tired of all these politics.“, he replied and Ed nodded. "Did you know that grandmother has me attending a couple of Parliament sessions with your father?”, he said baffled.

“Really?”, questioned Ed and Harry nodded tiredly. “This sucks,man.”, replied Ed handing Harry a bottle of beer from the minibar they had on the living room.

“ Tell me about it. She wants me to know everything there is to know about the Freedom Movement and their whereabouts.” , replied Harry taking the beer from Ed’s hands. “ Not that it’s a bad thing but, I frankly don’t care about politics. On the other hand, if this was an Army operation, I’ll be all for it…”, Harry continued.

“ Come on, lighten up. It’s better to go along with it…”, said Ed and Harry sighed. “ Changing the subject. Are you ready to spend the entire night listening to my sister and your cousin’s never-ending conversations?”, asked Ed and Harry chuckled.

“ Believe me mate. If I endured four hours of my cousins and my ex chatting about fashion I can endure anything!”, replied Harry smiling. “ And besides, Elle’s different. She knows about other stuff other than fashion.”, he finished looking at Elle and Eugenie talking by the door. Elle finally noticed him standing next to her brother and moved towards him, while Ed walked to Genie to say hi.

“ Hi Harry.”, she said, giving him a light peck on the cheek. Harry awkwardly wrapped an arm around her and also gave her a peck on the cheek. “Thanks for coming.”, she continued as they pulled apart.

“ Hello Elle. Thank you for having us.”, he replied smiling at her, who smiled back.

“ So, do you want anything before we start? All the snacks at the table, with the exeption of the ice cream and cake.”, she asked him.

“ Ahhh no, I think I’m good for now.”, Harry replied, raising his bottle, showing Elle that he already had something to drink.

“ Alright then…”, she said nodding. “Shall we begin?“, she said louder, calling everyone into the centre of the living room.

” Definitely! “, exclaimed Genie excitedly. They all proceeded to sit on the sofa in front of the telly and started eating junk food. Elle and Harry were seated next to each other while Eugenie was seated next to Ed. Once everyone was comfortable, Elle got the movie started.

” What movie are we watching first?“ asked Ed.

“Wait and see, brother dearest.”, replied Elle with a smirk.

“Oh, here we go.”, said Ed just as the opening scene of Young Victoria started.

 _“ Young Victoria?_ Really Elle?”, asked an amused Harry.

“ I couldn’t resist, sorry.”, she said tipping her head to the side. “ Plus, Bea is on it. And, on a historian’s point of view, I think it’s an interesting and romantic catch on their story.”, said Elle as a matter of fact. Harry beside her chuckled but nodded.

“ Oh I absolutely adore this movie.”, exclaimed Eugenie. “ It reminds me of the stories granny used to tell us about Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. She was a very tough woman but her love for him was her weakness, if you can call it that.”, continued Eugenie.

“ Yes, it was endless. They were truly meant to be together. She had to get married and he was the most eligible choice.”, said Harry, looking at Elle from the corner of his eyes. “ At first it was difficult but they grew closer and ended up loving each other dearly.“, he continued with a smile, now fully looking at her. Elle in return, looked back at him, giving him a small smile. _Their roles were reversed, they lived in a different era but their situation was very similar to Victoria and Albert’s. Could they have the same ending?_ , pondered Elle.

After many ohs and ahs from the girls, the movie finished and they decided that instead of watching another one, they would just chat to each other. Elle decided bring her fairy cakes to the table while Eugenie carried a tray with the ice cream and a couple of bowls. After every body had their share of goodies, they resumed their conversation.

” So Elle, how are you adapting back to merry old London?“, asked Harry, taking a scoop of ice cream.

” Wonderfully well. I’m working at the Tower, doing my research, giving some tours to school children, which I love… So it’s been great so far.“, Elle replied.

” That’s good to hear. What is your research about?“, he asked interested.

” Oh there are a couple of them… but the one I’m working on currently is about one of my favourite queens ever: Eleanor of Aquitaine.“, she replied.

” Oh yeah! Is that the one that you’re named after?“, asked Ed and Elle nodded.

” My dad liked History so much and thought that she was such a powerful woman that he decided to give me the same name…“, said Elle.

” I didn’t know that…“, said Harry. ” But it makes sense… you are a very strong woman, Elle…“, he continued, making Elle blush slightly. "Me, I guess I was named after one the many Henrys in our History.” , he finished.

“ Well, hopefully Henry V. He was awesome.” , said Elle smiling at Harry.

They chatted lively throughout the night and when was nearly two in the morning, everybody was beyond wasted. Ed was passed out on one of the chairs, Eugenie was sleeping on the sofa and Harry and Elle were seating on the floor, talking as low as they possibly could.

“ Harry, do you really think we can work this out? I mean, really work, not just fake it to the press.”, asked Elle, looking at Harry while leaning on the wall. Harry then turned to face her, sighed and said:

“ Honestly, I don’t know Elle. I mean, I want us to work… I… I just don’t know how."

” We’re a mess.“, said Elle sighing and Harry just nodded agreeing. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. It was Brandon, followed by John, one of Harry’s RPOs. Opening the door he said:

” Excuse me sir, ma’am. But I think it’s best if we left.“. Harry nodded and got up, offering his hand to Elle.

” Thanks. I’m gonna wake Ed and Genie.“, said Elle moving towards her sleeping friend and then her brother, while Harry went to refresh himself. After everyone was properly waked and refreshed, Elle showed them to the door, following Brandon and the RPO’s.

” Thank you so much for coming tonight. It was great having you here.“, said Elle hugging Eugenie.

“ It was. You should come by the palace some day. You, Val, Bea and me should have a proper girls night.”, replied Eugenie, embracing Elle tightly.

“ Absolutely. Let’s schedule it later.”, said Elle, fighting back a yawn. Eugenie left for the car with one of the RPO’s while Elle moved to stand in front of Harry.

“ Thank again. For coming here and for the chat. It was nice to get to know a little bit of this new you.”, she said to him, giving Harry a small smile from the corner of her lips.

“ No, thank you Elle.”, he replied, taking one of her hands into his. “ I know I’ve already said it but thank you again for everything that you’re doing.”, he continued, and leaning forward, gave a kiss on her cheek.

“ You are one special woman, Elle.“, he finished in a low tone and left the house, following John.

 

Elle remained standing there, staring at the closed door for a little while. _What the hell has just happened?_ , she thought.


	9. Chapter Eight: And So, It Begins...

**Disclaimer:** See Prologue

 

_______________________________________________________________

On the following days after their movie session, Harry and Elle texted each other almost 24/7. It was fascinating to see how fast they rekindled, what they both thought, was a an already long lost friendship.

They were close friends as children and later on, teenagers, but not that close. Harry was first and foremost, her brother’s best friend. Nor hers. But they did share much of their early lives together. However, it seemed that whatever kind of friendship they had before, only grew now that they were together once again. The new, more mature version of themselves seemed to have brought them together, as if they had never been apart.

Of course Elle was still mourning the end of her relationship with Colin. After all, they had been together for five years, almost six. Being with someone for that long, leaves deep marks on one’s soul. And Colin was not going to be that easily erased from Elle’s heart. Nevertheless, she wasn’t going to stay indoors, moping around. Life moves on and so would she… eventually.

I was a late Wednesday morning and Elle had just returned from one of her tours. She was going back to her office when her phone buzzed. The bright green sign on the screen showed her that a new message had arrived and Elle smiled softly when she read from who it was from.

 _“ Hey Elle :) How’s your morning? Back from the tours yet?_ ”, it read. Elle had told him a couple of days before about her work at the Tower and her new job as one of the guides for young children visiting the famous building.

 _“Hi Harry! It’s good. How’s yours?”_ , she texted back. Entering her office, Elle dropped a couple of files she brought with her from the secretary in the entrance hall that lead to the researchers’ offices. She started to go on about her things when her phone buzzed again.

 _“ It’s been great! I’m at the barracks working on that new project with injured soldiers that I’ve told you about. I have a very good feeling about this! What did you do so far?“_ , Harry replied. He told her about his new project with wounded veterans.

After he’s became a patron of _Walking with the Wounded_ , Harry was determined to do more about his brothers and sisters in arms who had suffered any kind of limb loss or injury due to their services to their country. Elle was very touched with his initiative and supported him wholeheartedly. Quickly, she typed her reply to him.

 _" That’s wonderful, Harry! I can’t wait to hear more about it! I’ve had a tour of almost 50 children today. They were unbelievable! hehehe"_ , she wrote to him. Almost seconds later came his reply.

 _“Ha! And I can’t wait to tell you in person. Really? Hahaha. Was is good unbelievable or bad?”,_ he asked, which made Elle chuckle to herself.

 _“Good! So much curiosity! And their questions… Sometimes I didn’t even know how to answer them and the teachers had to intervene. :D Children are the best.”_ , she replied. Harry smiled when he read her message. He could envision her surrounded by children, answering their questions with a bright smile on her face, having the time of her life with them.

 _“ Hahaha. They truly are… but I find hard to believe that you didn’t know an answer! You know so much about that place. Anyway, I’m going incognito to a friend’s restaurant near by for lunch tomorrow . I was wondering if you wanted to come with me?”,_ he asked her. Elle didn’t even hesitated in replying.

 _“ Absolutely! When and where? I only have a hour break :/”_ , she wrote back to him. Harry’s smile fell a little when she told him about her lunch hour.

 _“ Can’t you stretch it just a little bit?“,_ he asked her, hoping that she’d say yes.

 _” Well, if I ask nicely, maybe Mel could give an extra half hour. But I make no promises”_ , was her reply. Yes, another half hour would do, Harry thought.

 _“ Perfect! It’s on 102 Old Brompton Rd, at 12.15pm. Don’t be late! hehehe”_ , he replied and Elle was quick to reply back.

 _“ I’ll be there :) And don’t worry, I'm never late.”_ , she answered with a smirk playing on the corner of her lips.

 _“ Great! Just give your name at the door and they’ll know what to do. Plus, John and Leo will be there as well.”_ , texted Harry.

 _“ Fantastic. See you tomorrow then. xx”_ , said Elle.

 _“ ‘Til tomorrow. xo”_ , finished Harry.

************

Elle knew that the moment she and Harry decided to openly start to go out that there was no way to go back. The public would know, the paparazzi would follow them everywhere they went, people would know what they did and her life would never be the same. However, she wasn’t a novice to it, at all. Elle knew what it took to be who she was.

She wasn’t some ordinary girl, with an ordinary life. As much as she’d like to think herself somewhat normal, she was an aristocrat. And being one, had its perks and its disadvantages. Since she was born, she’s been on the spotlight. Much like many other aristocrat and their families. But being the daughter of a Duke, an important one, whose bloodline was tangled with the royal blood, made everything even more interesting for the press. In her teens, Elle had tasted the power of the tabloids and the media coverage, specially when associated with the royals. Her years at Scotland had toned the media interest on her considerably but now that she was back on the scene, it was only a matter of time before something appeared in a magazine or website.

Sighing, she organised some of the papers on her desk and went to talk to Melissa. She knocked into her boss’s office but no reply came from it. Slowly, Elle opened the door, only to find the room empty. Melissa was nowhere to be found. _Strange, she’s always here around this time_ , she thought. Elle just shrug and returned to her office. Her morning was almost over which meant she wasn’t going to have to tour again until tomorrow. It was almost lunch time when Elle heard Melissa entering her office. Putting herself onto her feet, Elle walked the short distance between the two room and once again knocked on the door, hearing after a few seconds, Melissa’s reply to enter. Elle got in, caring the paper she had brought earlier. Her boss was caring three folds full of papers and upon seeing her,Elle promptly left the papers in the table and went to help her.

“ Thanks”, said a tired Melissa.

“ Not a problem.”, replied Elle putting the folders on the table. Melissa then proceeded to sit loudly on her chair. Elle chuckled at the older woman and took a seat on the chair in front of her.

“Oh how I hate this department meetings.”, said Melissa sighing. “Honestly, I’d have a much better life without them.”, she finished, making Elle chuckle again.

“ Well, with great power comes great responsibility, oh dear boss of mine.”, said Elle in mockery.

“ Yeah, yeah I know. I just wish someone else could go in my place. You know, some one who knows everything we do here, who’s very efficient, has excellent people skills…”, said Melissa looking knowingly at Elle.

“ Oh no no no no. There’s no way in hell I’m going to those meetings. You’re know how Mr. Foster always tries to make small talk. ”, replied Elle, exasperatedly.

“ He’s the Vice Head of Research. Of course he’d try to make small talk with you. He’s interested.”, replied Melissa shrugging her shoulders.

“ Interested in my research or me?”, Elle pointed out and Melissa sighed. “ You’ve seen how he’s constantly flirting? Not only with me but with all the other female researchers!”, exclaimed Elle.

“ He’s not that bad…”, replied Melissa and Elle shook her head. “Oh and by the way, I’m sorry to hear about you and Colin. How are you feeling?”, she asked and Elle looked at her quizzically.

“ Thank you but, how did you know?”, Elle asked.

“Oh… Trevor told me. He wasn’t gossiping or anything… He was just concerned.”, Melissa said and Elle nodded.

" Of course. Well…“, she started sighing. ”… I’m better now but I was completely shocked when it happened. I’m starting to get over it though.”, Elle replied.

“ I say it’s his loss. You’re wonderful and intelligent and he doesn’t know what he’s missing.”, said Melissa with a kind smile, holding Elle’s hand and giving it a squeeze.

“ Thanks darling.”, replied Elle, squeezing back. “ I appreciate it.”

“Anyway, returning to the meeting subject, you know, you could go just one time.”, said Melissa, hinting it to Elle.

“ Mel… even if I did, I don’t really know much about this meetings…”, replied Elle unsure.

“ Oh, you’ll be fine!“, said Melissa, trowing her hands up. ” Please? Do this for your poor, old friend? I’ve been so tired lately and I really need to spend more time at home. Blair was complaining about how her mum is never around.”, begged Melissa.

“ Playing the children card. Not fair, Mel.“, Elle replied while Melissa looked at her with puppy eyes. 

"Oh fine! Only because I’m a very good friend and you deserve some time with Blair and Jeremy. But I want extra half an hour at lunch time tomorrow.”, argued Elle, rising her eyebrow.

“ Hum… alright. It’s a deal.”, replied Melissa smiling.

************

Elle was on tube, her way to work on the next morning, when she felt her phone buzz through her thick green coat. She picked it up and smiled at the screen. Another message from Harry.

_I can’t wait meet you for lunch today. - H ._

_That’s so sweet!_ , thought Elle. Harry has truly been very comprehensive and thoughtful about the whole thing. It’s was tough to barely get out of a relationship and suddenly be told that you’re as good as engaged to another man. But it looked as if Harry was ready to take it slow and Elle truly appreciated the gesture.

************

Her morning went smoothly. There were no tours today, much to her dismay. So it meant that she had to stay inside her office all morning with her faithful intern by her side. They went through a couple of documents, some paperwork that needed to be done and a few chats with other researchers. When her lunch break came, Elle quickly got off her office and ordered a cab to take her to the restaurant. Five minutes later, a cab was waiting for her just outside Tower Hill.

“ Good afternoon, ma’am.”, said the cabbie.

“ Good afternoon. 102 Old Brompton Road, please.”, said Elle and the cabbie nodded. As soon as she closed the door they were off.

During her fifteen minute ride, following along the banks of River Thames, then passing through Buckingham Palace until finally arriving to the very familiar neighbourhood of South Kensington, Elle admired the greatness of the country and society she lived in.She knew she was far more fortunate then others and it made her feel grateful and sad at the same time.

She had all the perks and glamour that came with this lifestyle but also and responsibilities and expectations of it. And among the responsibilities she had, Elle was determined to do more for those who needed. Of course that were some that thought all these palaces, estates, traditions and royal appointments were overrated and overpriced, but truly, they made Britain, well, _Britain._

People from all over the world come to see them. To see and experience what Britain had to offer. The Royal Family was as much part of their history as were any kind of document, law or monument around the UK. It was a living institution that was recognised all over the globe.

The cab came to a stop just as Elle came out of her reverie and she peeked out of the window. It was a small restaurant, with flowers on the windows and wooden chairs in the front. At the door, she could see John and Leo, and another man, who she supposed was the maître. Elle then paid the cabbie and got off, hugging her green, long coat around her body. Walking on the chilly pavement, she stepped into the entrance of the restaurant and smiled at Harry’s RPO’s.

“ Hello John. Leo. It’s nice to see you again.”, said Elle with a smile.

“ Good afternoon, ma’am.”, said Leo tipping his head down and John did the same. Leo was the talkative one. John was always quiet and observant. After saying hello to the RPO’s, the maître stepped in and came to greet her.

“ Good afternoon and welcome to Bumpkin’s. Name please?”, he asked her.

“ Eleanor McClaire.”, she replied and the maître looked at his book and nodded. Smiling her turned his head to her and asked:

“ May I take your coat, ma'am?”

“ Yes, thank you.”, said Elle and the maître, who she learned was called Anthony, took her coat from her.

“ This way, please.”, he said and they walked to the back of the restaurant. She noticed there were just a few couples at the restaurant. _Well, I suppose it would have to be basically empty if he wanted to meet me here incognito,_ thought Elle. Then Anthony moved aside to let her pass and she into a more reserved area.

There, already seated and dressed casually in jeans and shirt and talking to a short, dark haired man, was Harry. Upon seeing her arrival both of them stood up, Harry smiling.

“ Elle, right on time.”, said Harry moving to greet her with a kiss on the cheek. She reciprocated the gesture.

“ Hi Harry.”, she said with a smile, which Harry mirrored. Turning to the man standing next to the other end of the table, Harry said:

“ Elle, this is my good friend Matt Hurst, the owner of this magnificent little restaurant. And Matt, I want you to meet Eleanor McClaire, she a very dear friend of mine. In fact she knows me for about 20 years, give or take.”

“ You have a beautiful place here.”, said Elle, extending her hand to greet him.

“ Oh, thank you. And it’s an honour to meet you, Eleanor.”, Matt replied as he greeted her.

“ The honour is mine. And please call me Elle.”, said Elle as they smiled at each other.

“ Very well then. Well, now that the introductions were made, I’ll leave you to your meal. Enjoy! ”, said Matt smiling broadly. Harry and Elle then took their seats, facing one another. Soon enough, the waiter came and they ordered their food and drinks.

“ So how are you today, Harry?”, Elle asked, sipping on her peach iced tea.

“ I’m great! I’ve just come back from another meeting with the organisation committee for the project I was telling you about.“, Harry said smiling.

” Oh really? That’s fantastic! But you didn’t quite tell me the details about it. You were very mysterious about the whole thing.“, joked Elle.

“Oh yes, I didn’t, did I? Well, basically it’s an international competition that features injured men and women from the armed forces. It’s to be called The Invictus Games and the main objective is to inspire their recovery and rehabilitation through sport.”, said Harry

“ Oh Harry, that’s absolutely fantastic! I’ve seen what you did with Walking With the Wounded but this, this takes them to a whole new level. And, if I can help in any way, just tell me.”, replied Elle happily. “ I’m so proud of you…”, she whispered at him with a smile.

“ Thank you, Elle. I really appreciate it.”, he said taking her hand from across the table into his. “ And of course you can! We thank each and every support we get.”, Harry continued.

“ Well, that’s great because I’m going home to Wiltshire tomorrow for the Foundation’s annual benefit. And I know many patrons and collaboratives that would love to get involved in it.”, said Elle, and Harry smiled with a glint in his eyes.

“ Elle… thank you. You don’t know how much it means to me.”, he said smiling sweetly at her.

“ Don’t mention it. You are my friend and I’m happy to do this for you.” , said Elle, giving a side smile.

************

It was almost 1.20 when they decided to part ways. After much insistence, Elle managed to get Harry to agree to split the bill. Then, they proceeded to leaved the restaurant. A cab had been called for her and Harry would leave five minutes after her, not to arise any suspicion. Grabbing her coat and putting it on, Elle turned to face Harry and said:

“ This was fun. Thank you for inviting me, Harry.”, said Elle, adjusting her scarf around her neck.

“My pleasure. And thank you for going to so much trouble to support the games. I can’t even begin to tell you how much I appreciate what your doing.”, said Harry with a smile.

“ I meant when said that I’m happy to do it.” , said Elle and Harry quickly engulfed her in a tight hug. As they hugged, he whispered in her ear:

“ Genie wasn’t kidding when she told me about your good heart. And I’m excited with the prospects of having you standing beside me in the future.”

Elle almost froze in her place as he mentioned their future. _Way too soon, Wales. Way too soon. Calm your horses!_ , she thought. And with a shy smile and blushing cheeks she said her goodbyes to Harry, Matt, the maître Anthony, and the RPO’s John and Leo.

 

As soon as she stepped into the cab, Harry let out a deep breath. _What am I doing? Why did I say that to her?_ , he thought.


	10. Chapter Nine: It's Good to be Home

**Disclaimer:** see Prologue

_____________________________________________________________

Elle was quick to return to the Tower after her lunch with Harry. She didn’t quite know why, but she had this tiny smile on the corner of her lips. She liked him. Really liked him.

But who wouldn’t? It was simple to do so. He was funny, easy to be around and committed to his work, family and close friends. Of course she wasn’t falling for him. That would be absurd. But there was definitely some sort of attachment worming its way into her heart.

On her way to her office, she got a phone call from a very dear friend called Mary. She was engaged to one her other dear friends called Richard. They all belonged to the same circles and met each other back on their teens.

_E “Hello.”_

_M ” Hi darling! How are you?”_

_E ” Busy and running a bit late.”_

_M ” My, my! YOU running late? Impossible.”_

_E ” Oh believe me. It’s very much possible. But you didn’t call me to discuss my tardiness. How are the preparations going?”_

_M ” A bit stressful now and then with the last details but Richard is being 100% involved in everything. Truly, I’ve never seen a groom so involved in his own wedding!”_

_E ” That’s wonderful to hear!”_

_M ” Indeed. I can’t believe it’s only a month away! Anyway, I called to invite you to Rick’s birthday on the 17th. We’re just gonna invite some close friends over. OH, and there’s a surprise for you!”_

_E ” Really? Mary, what have you been up to?”_

_M ” Oh don’t be like that. You’ll love it!_

_E ” Well, if you say so. Mary I hate to cut this conversation short but I really have to get back to work.”_

_M ” Don’t worry darling. I know you’re a very busy researcher. I’ll take to you later. Bye Bye”_

_E ” Bye”_

************

At work, her afternoon had been filled with lots of typing and strong black tea. By the time Elle left the Tower she was exhausted and dying for a long, hot, relaxing bath.

She hurriedly took the tube and in 20 minutes she was walking the familiar line of houses and trees of South Kensington. She arrived home, took off her shoes and quickly climbed the stairs to her room, where she promptly threw herself on her bed. Before she knew it she had dosed off.

It was nearly an hour late when she woke all of sudden.She then realised she had fallen asleep. _Oh dear_ , she thought, _mama would kill me if I got late for dinner. Luckily, she’s not here_. Elle then got off the bed, got into her bathroom and started running a bath. When she was sure it was hot enough, she got in and stayed there, for a about 25 minutes. _So relaxing_ , she thought as she soaked in the hot. Then she changed and moved downstairs, meeting her brother on the way down.

“ Oh hey sis.”, said Ed giving her a kiss on the cheek

“Hello.”, replied Elle smiling. They stated descending the stairs together. While at it, Ed asked:

“ So, how are things with between you and my good friend Harry?”

“ Fine. We had lunch today. It was nice.”

“ Good, good. That’s what I like to hear. Only, I was expecting more excitement, little sister.”

“ Well, I like him. Very much but I’m not head over hills for him.”, said Elle when they reached the bottom of the staircase.

“ Yet, dear sister. Not yet. But I’m sure you will. You know, he talks about you.”

“ He does?”

“ Oh yes. I think he likes you too”, said Ed with knowing smile.

************

They were dining, when the telephone rang. Brandon answered and fifteen minutes later, he was entering the dining hall.

“ Excuse me, milord, milady. Their graces had just spoke to me on the phone and wanted me to tell you that they won’t be able to return in time for the Benefit. They urge you both to attend it on their behalf. ”, said Brandon. Elle and Ed looked at each other.

“ Did they say why?”, asked Ed

“ It seems there is reports of severe weather around the island for the next days. It’s impossible to fly in such conditions.”, replied the butler

 _Just great! They got held back on a Greek Island and we have to endure a whole night of snobbish, super rich and judgmental people_ , thought Elle.

“ Well, it’s very unfortunate indeed. And I’m afraid I won’t be able to attend either. It seems, dear sister, that the task has fallen to you.”, said Ed.

“ Wait, what? Why?”

“ I have a meeting in Berlin tomorrow morning. I’m catching a late night flight tonight, and won’t be back until late Sunday. Sorry sis.”, said Ed.

“ Great. Now you leave me alone to face them.”, said Elle making a face

” And by them you mean…”

“ You know, them. That group of high class, stuck-up widows and housewives, bound with a superiority complex that think they’re helping someone by simply donating money. They don’t even care about what we do at the Foundation. They only want to be associated with it to have prestige and their names plastered on the papers, next to the words ‘generous philanthropist.” , said Elle, with a slight angry tone.

” I am truly sorry but this meeting has been scheduled for months. I have to go.“, said Ed

” I understand. I’m not angry at you, you know that, right? Just at the situation.“, said Elle. Ed smiled sadly and they finished the rest of their meal in silence. Once it was finished, Elle quickly got to her feat and called Brandon.

” You called, milady?“

” Yes, Brandon. I’d like you to call Mr. Moore and Mrs. Lewis at Woodenford and tell them that I’ll be there by lunch time tomorrow, please.“

” Of course, milady. Excuse me.“, said Brandon leaving the room. Ed stared at her and she said:

” If I must attend it alone, I’ll at least try and make the best of it by going there tomorrow and enjoying my day at Woodenford. I haven’t been there yet since I returned. Well, I believe I must start packing. You should do the same, if you haven’t already.“, said Elle to Ed, while she got up and started going to her room.

*************

On the following morning,Elle later than usual, but ready for her day. She showered, dressed and went downstairs to have her breakfast.

” Good morning, Brandon, Olivia, Trevor.“, she said smiling when she got entered the Dinning Hall.

” Good morning milady", they replied.

“ Milady, I’ve spoken to the staff at Woodenford and they’re are all set to receive you this afternoon. Mr. Elton will be there to pick you up. ”, said Brandon

“ Fantastic! I’ll just finish my breakfast, pack some last minute things and hit the road.”

“ Of course, I’ll make the arrangements with Mr. Taylor. ” said Brand

“ Oh, there’s no need, Brandon. I’ll take the tube. I don’t have much language anyway. ”

“ Very well.”, he said and left along with Trevor, who had just finished arranging the food of the table.

“ Milady, their graces called again this morning and asked me to tell you that they’ve spoken with the rest of the Foundation Board and they’ll be ready to assist you with everything you need for the Benefit.”

“ Oh great! That’s very kind of them but it’s not like I’ve never done this before.”, replied Elle.

“ Well, just in case you need it, you know you have someone who can help.”, said Olivia smiling and then leaving the room to let Elle eat her breakfast in peace.

*************

Elle got downstairs followed by Trevor who insisted on caring her small suitcase. She turned to Brandon,Olivia, Margaret and Peter who were standing side by side next to the door. She affectionately said goodbye to each one of them, got her bag from Trevor’s hand and, at 10:30 am she was off. She took the tube to Waterloo Station to get her 11am train to Salisbury.

She had barely gotten off the tube and moved to make the connection with the train platforms when she heard:

_This is the last call. South West Trains from London Waterloo to Salisbury, now boarding on platform four. All passengers, to platform four._

“ Shit! I gotta run”, said Elle. And she did. The train was almost full when she boarded. She got into her carriage, dropped her suitcase on the designated area and move to take her seat. Luckily for her, there was no one else seating next to her. It seams this would be a smooth journey.

**************

An hour and a half later, Elle disembarked in Salisbury, her hometown. It is an ancient site of pilgrimage and full of History. It was this very place that instigated her curiosity as a child and made her choose to study it professionally by becoming a Historian.

She got off the station eyeing her surroundings. It’s been so long!, she thought. She scanned the crowd until her eyes found a familiar face. She smiled when she saw him and walked quickly on his direction.

” Clark! It’s so good to see you again!“, she said hugging him.

” Oh, it’s good to see you too, young lady.“, he replied. Clark Elton was a skinny, mid eighties man, with white hair and a very kind soul. He basically saw Elle grew up and was one of her main objects of torment and admiration as a child.

” Shall we move, milady?“, he said offering his arm charmingly. That made Elle giggle and shock her head. She enlaced her arm on his and they moved to the car.

Soon enough a familiar line of trees appeared on the view. It was soon followed by the famous arched bridge over River Avon. Then, continuing on the road, they finally passed the elaborate iron gates that guarded the majestic, stone-made, medieval construction of her family seat, Woodenford Castle, already in sight.

The car pulled into a stop and Elle couldn’t be more excited to step out of it. She was home. Not that London wasn’t but this is where she grew up and where her fondest memories were.

As was expected, the staff was lined up to greet her. Like Clark, it’s been a while since any of them saw her. Everyone was there: Logan and Susan, the butler and housekeeper; Emily and Hannah, cook and cook assistant; Amelia, Laura and Ingrid, the house maids; Joseph,Brian and Jason, the footmen; Jonathan and Dylan, gardener and stable hand. They were all smiling at the sight of her and she couldn’t help but do the same.

” Oh, I can’t believe it’s been so long! How I’ve missed Woodenford and all of you!“, she said

” We all missed you very much, Lady Eleanor.“, said Logan.

” I’m so glad to see all of you! I know it;s a little selfish of me to say it, but It’s nice to know that you’re all still here.“

” We’re very happy to be at your service, milady.“, said Susan with a motherly smile. Elle smiled back and stepped onto the wooden floors of her home. She walked to middle of the hall and, taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes for a minute. It even smelt the same. Climbing the staircase, she followed through the long corridor, until she reached her room. She entered, blinked a few times and finally took in her surroundings. Her bed, her books… everything was exactly as she left it three years ago. Putting her suitcase on the floor, she dropped herself on her bed. Elle then let a deep sigh and smiled. She was truly at home.

************

After a relaxing bath, a fresh change of clothes and a wonderful lunch prepared by Emily, Elle returned to her room and started to unpack the little she brought. She was almost finished when she heard a soft knock on the door.

” Come in.“, said Elle. The door opened revealing Susan, the housekeeper.

” Pardon the interruption, milady, but Dylan asked me to tell you that Lionheart is ready for you.“, said Susan.

” That’s perfect! Thank you so much Susan. I’ll be down in just a moment.“, said Elle and with a nod, Susan left the room.

After a quick change into more suitable clothes, Elle got downstairs and almost ran towards the stables. When she finally got there, her face lit with joy at the sight of her beloved horse. Lionheart was a black thoroughbred Andalusian stallion. Elle’s father gave him to her on her 7th birthday when he was just a colt.

At the stable’s door was Dylan, the stable hand, brushing Lionheart’s back. When she saw her approaching he stopped.

” Hello Dylan.“, she said

” Oh hello milady.“, said Dylan smiling. As if feeling left out, Lionheart threw his mane from side to side.

” Yes, yes. I’m sorry for not greeting you first. How is my handsome boy, hum? Yes, you are handsome, aren’t you?“, said Elle to her horse, scrubbing his head while he neighed.

” I’m gonna take him for a run around the grounds. We shouldn’t be out for long.“, she said to Dylan

” Very well, milady.“, he said, nodding and smiling and returning to his chores. Elle was on top of her horse in one swing. Taking the reins on her hands, she guided Lionheart through the grounds. They started on a small gallop that evolved into a run.

Elle felt so good. So free… to be running on the open field with nothing but trees around her. Woodenford was but a image on the horizon behind her.

************

An hour and a half later she returned to the stables and decided to take care of Lionheart herself, even with Dylan insisting that that was not the job of a lady. After reassuring him that she done the task several times before, she fed and cleaned groomed him properly. And by mid afternoon, she wen back to the house.

Upon arriving there, she went to her room, showered and changed. She was making her way to the library when she met Logan on the corridor.

” Milady, I was just on my way to talk to you. Mrs. Jefferson called and wondered with you could meet her at the Foundation for tea today. It seems she needs to talk to you about the last preparations for the ball.“, said Logan

” Yes, yes of course. I’ll send her a message confirming it. Thank you, Logan.“, said Elle, entering the library. She sat on one of the couches and started typing

_Hello, Cassy! How are you? Of course I can meet you for tea! Let’s say 4:30? xx Elle_

_Two minutes later, she got her reply:_

_Hey Elle! Great to hear from you! Yes, 4:30 sounds perfect. See you there :) Cassy_

************

Around 4pm Elle drove to the Foundation to meet Cassy. Cassandra Jefferson was her parents main PR at the Foundation; She was 7 years older than Elle and the epitome of reliability and efficiency.

After a 20 minute drive, she got at the Foundation, which is located in Salisbury. Once there, she got in,talked to some of the volunteers and even some of the children and elderly came to greet her. She loved being a part of this. It wasn’t much but it was a way of helping people and it made her feel so worthy.

Stepping onto the main conference room, she found Cassy already there, going over some papers with other staff members.

” Hey Cassy!“, said Elle and the woman lifted her head and greeted her with a smile on her face. She finished what she had to tell to the staff and they left them to talk alone.

” Hey Elle! How wonderful to see you!“, said Cassy, hugging Elle.

” So I have a ton of things to discuss with you. I think we better get started. But first, tea?, said Cassy pointing to the tray of goodies on the left corner of the room.

************

It was almost 8pm when they finished going over the last details for the ball: last minute refusals, table arrangements, position of the flower settings, where they wanted the decorations and so on.

“ Thank God for you Elle. When your mother called me and said that she wasn’t going to make it in time for the ball I freaked out.”

“ Oh well, one must fulfill the obligations that come with the family name and title.”, said Elle chuckling

“ But seriously, you know you’re wonderful with stuff like this don’t you?”

“ What do you mean?”

“ You know. The Foundation, the events, the whole ‘I’m an aristocrat, member of a noble family, patron of this and this charity, doing good for our community and I support such and such causes.”, said Cassy with a serious yet mocking tone.

“ Well thank you, but I was kinda born into it. I don’t have much of a choice. It’s what we do.”

“ Yeah, I know. What I meant is that you’re a natural. You don’t need to fake your enthusiasm and passion for your causes, like so many others. We can see you take interest in them. And the people see it too. You may not know, but they all speak highly of you around here.”

“ Really? Even though I didn’t show up here as much as I should?”

“ Oh please! Everyone knows you were studying in Scotland. And plus, you came to every ball, fundraiser and gala that you could. And tomorrow, it’s gonna be your big day. First solo event. Aren’t you excited?”

“ Excited is not the exact word I would use for what I’m feeling right now, Cassy.”

“ Don’t worry. You’ll be wonderful, you’ll see. As I said before, you’re a na-”

“ A natural. I know. Well, thanks for the help. Do you want me to come by in the morning or-”

“ Oh there’s no need. I can arrange everything. After all, I’m very efficient.”

“ Oh believe me, I know that. And so do my parents.”

“ Thanks. Well, sleep well. I’ll see you tomorrow.”, said Cassy, hugging Elle.

“ You too. See you tomorrow.”, said Elle. She waved goodbye to everyone she passed on the way to the door, got into the car and drove back to Woodenford.

Tomorrow was going to be a big day and she desperately needed to sleep. After all, Woodenford Castle would be hosting the main event of Wiltshire’s social season.


	11. Chapter Ten: The Perfect Hostess and the Party Crasher

**Disclaimer** : See Prologue

 **A/N:** Let me clarify one thing that may have come across as confusing. So, the ball is indeed being held at Elle’s home aka Woodenford Castle. It seemed only logical to set the ball there. Before Elle had to host it in name of her parents, everything was already settled so it’s not a last minute thing.

_____________________________________________________________

 

On the next morning, Elle woke feeling very refreshed. It was past nine in the morning when she finally got off her bed. She didn’t quite know why, maybe it was psychological, but the country air made her feel more energetic and alive. Today would be the first time she was hosting this event alone. She’d seen her parents host these events for years and had been part of most of them to know what happens and the order of events but, there was something daunting about doing it by herself.

Coming downstairs, she saw the whole staff running around, preparing everything for the ball. There were ornaments being places, the grand chandelier in the ballroom was given its final touches since it had been cleaned the day before, some maid were giving the finishing touches on the carpet and s few men were busy installing the minute stage where the musicians would be playing. At the center of the reception room were Susan and Logan coordinating everything and everyone.

“ Good morning Susan, Logan. How are you?”, said Elle approaching them.

“ Oh good morning, milady. Did you have a nice night of sleep?”, said Logan with a smile.

“ I did, thank you. So how are the preparations going? I imagine the florists and musicians are coming on the afternoon, correct?”, she said.

“ Yes, milady. The musicians are scheduled to arrive at three. The florists have already left some of the ornaments here but they will only bring the fresh flowers in the late afternoon.”, said Susan, checking the paper on her hands.

“ Fantastic!“, exclaimed Elle. ” I’m going to call Cassandra and see if she wants to come by for lunch.”, said Elle.

“ Vey good, milady. Let us know if she does.”, said Susan.

“ I will.”, replied Elle taking her mobile from her pocket, ready to dial Cassandra’s number.

“ _Hello_ ”, said the woman, answering the call.

“ Oh hey Cassy! Good morning! How are you?”, said Elle

 _“ Oh hello Elle. I’m good. Sleep well?”_ , replied Cassandra.

“ You have no idea! I haven’t slept that well in ages! In fact I’ve just woken up.”, said Elle chuckling.

 _“ Lucky you. So, what do I owe the pleasure of your call?”_ , asked Cassandra.

“ Well, I was wondering if you would like to come by for lunch. That way you can enjoy the amazing food Mrs. Martin cooks and we can finish going over the last details. So what do you think?“, asked Elle, hoping she’d come.

 _“Sounds fantastic. What time do you want me to come?”_ , replied Cassandra.

“When can you come?”, inquired Elle.

 _“Hum.. around noon? Would that be fine?”_ , asked Cassandra.

“Great! I’ll see you then. Bye bye.”, said Elle.

 _“ Bye. See you later, darling.”_ , replied Cassandra, finishing the call. Now that it was settled, Elle popped back into the entering hall to tell Susan they’d have Cassandra over for lunch. Feeling more at easy knowing that she’d be at the castle with her to go over the last details, Elle let out a heavy sigh and smiling walked out of the castle for a little walk and on that led to the bridge, by the entrance gate.

*************

At a quarter past noon, Cassandra arrived at Woodenford Castle. Eagerly waiting for her at the entrance were Elle and Susan. She approached the trio smiling, carrying some folds on her hand.

“ Hello!”, she said, greeting them with a bright smile.

“ Hey Cassy ”, said Elle, stepping forward and hugging her. “ Welcome to Woodenford. I’m sure you already know Mrs. Lewis, our housekeeper.”, said Elle.

“ I do. How do you do, Mrs. Lewis? It’s been a while. ”, said Cassandra, nodding her head and receiving a nod in return.

“ Hello, Ms. Jefferson and welcome back. ”, replied Susan warmingly.

“ Come in, come in. Susan, if you need anything, Cassandra and I will be at the Library.”, said Elle, pulling Cassandra by the arm into the castle.

“ Very well, milady. As soon as lunch is ready I’ll come tell you.”, said the housekeeper nodding and entering the castle after them.

“ Thank you, Susan.”, replied Elle.

“ Shall we? I’m in desperate need of your advice.”, said Elle taking Cassandra to the library.

“ Oh Elle dear…”, replied Cassandra chuckling.

************

The pair spent very little time in the library as lunch was almost done when Cassandra arrived. Soon Mrs. Lewis was calling them into lunch. After the must appreciated meal and some joyful conversation about their lives, Elle and Cassandra decided to take a look on the rooms. They kept walking from room to room, inspecting them and checking to see if all was in perfect order.

“ Tables settings check, ornaments check, flowers check, musicians check, delicious food provided by Mrs. Martin, check. I think we’re all set”, said Elle to Cassy with a smile.

  
“ Finally! Thanks for helping Elle. You know you didn’t need to do it, right?”, said Cassandra looking at her.

“ I know… but I wanted to.”, said Elle smiling. She then looked at her watch and saw that it was already 5pm. “ Oh my goodness! Look how late it is! We need to get ready!”, she exclaimed.

“ Oh Gosh! I gotta go. But I’ll be back around 7:30pm, okay?”, said Cassandra, rushing through the rooms to the entrance hall.

“ Of course!“, replied Elle, following her into the entrance hall. ” Now go, relax for a little while and put that incredible dress you told me you were going to wear.”, said Elle as Cassandra put on her coat, readying herself to leave.

“ I will. Alright then.”, said Cassandra to Elle while they walked to the front door. “ See you tonight Elle. And don’t worry everything will be fine.”, she continued, hugging Elle and leaving, walking to her car.

“See you tonight!”, exclaimed Elle, waving her goodbye. Walking back inside she paused to look around. The entrance hall was beautifully decorated. The Great Hall, also known as the ballroom and room they only use for these kind of events, was decorated with flowers in ornate crystal vases and candles. In the back of the room, there was a small stage, where the musicians were currently setting their instruments. There, apart from the music, was where Elle was going to give her speech. Yes, she had given speeches before but she always had her family with her. This was the first time she was alone. And she was a little bit scared.

************

Today was the first step for the official launch of the Invictus Games. Harry couldn’t be happier. He had been planning for so long and today marked one step closer to its realisation. He was going to visit a Recovery Centre in Wiltshire to see the injured veterans who’d been preparing and exercising and would most likely be involved in the games.

Arriving there, Harry was received by the staff and family members of the soldiers who use the facilities and are helped by the Help for Heroes Project. He talked to many of them, hearing their stories of perseverance and strength. While talking to some of them, a group of women behind him mentioned Elle’s family. It picked up his interest and he couldn’t help but be curious about the subject. He turned to face them and asked:

“Hi, I’m sorry to interrupt but were you talking about the McClaire family?”

” Why, yes Your Royal Highness. We were just talking about how incredible it is to have two important events for our community on the same day.“, said one elderly women smiling. Harry looked quizzically at them and another one said:

” Oh, I’m guessing you don’t know what we’re talking about, sir. Well, apart from your visit to us, we have the Duke and Duchess of Wiltshire Foundation Benefit today. They host a ball at exactly 8 o’clock at Woodenford Castle every year in late September. It’s meant to promote their causes and help gather more patrons for the Foundation.”

“ Yes, they do such a wonderful job. The community owes a great deal to their family. They help this centre as well, did you? But, anyway, it seems that the Duke and Duchess themselves won’t be able to attend this year’s benefit. I heard something about them being trapped on an island or something…”, commented a younger woman. Harry smirked and nodded.

“ Really? Do you know who’ll take their place?”, he asked.

“ Yes, sir. I believe their daughter, Lady Eleanor will be hosting. I saw her leaving the Foundation building yesterday. It’s only natural for her to step in, being so active with the work done by them.“ , said the elderly woman. Hum… that’s interesting…, thought Harry.

” Well ladies, thank you for the information. Enjoy the rest of your day.”, he said moving away from them and towards Daniel, who seemed immerse in a conversation with one of the managers of Tedworth.

“ Excuse me, gentlemen, but I need to speak with Mr. Smith for a moment.”, said Harry, pulling Daniel to the side.

“ Is there something wrong, sir?”, asked Daniel concerned.

“ No, no. I just wanted to ask you for a favour.“, he said and Daniel looked at him quizzically.

” I need you to find me a tux. I’m gonna pay a visit to a dear friend of mine tonight.”, Harry said and Daniel looked strangely at him, shooking his head.

“ I’m sorry sir, but I’m not sure if I can. This visit wasn’t scheduled. I don’t think we can-”, started Daniel but Harry cut him off.

“ Daniel, I’m not going to a strip club to get wasted of that’s what you’re worried about. Why would I even ask a tux if that was the case?“, Harry said chuckling. ” I’m going to a benefit hosted by Lady Eleanor McClaire.”, he continued and Daniel looked in awe.

“ Lady Eleanor McClaire? You mean the one who’s-”, started Daniel and Harry nodded.  
“ Yes, the very same.”, said Harry smirking.

“ Sir, forgive me for asking but, aren’t you worried about any press that might be there? I was told by your father’s chief secretary that you and Lady Eleanor had decided not to make a public appearance together for at least a month.”, said Daniel in a whisper.

“ Yes, I know what we agreed but this isn’t exactly a social, out on the streets for everyone to see, event. I imagine there will be some photographers but the actual press doesn’t know I’m going to be there and beside, it’s a private residence. They can’t come in.”, said Harry.

“ Well sir, if you are sure.”, said Daniel, shrugging his shoulders. Harry only nodded in response. “ I’ll make a few calls and alert your security details.“, said Daniel, picking up his mobile. Before Harry could leave him though, he asked:

“Sir, should we call Lady Eleanor and warn her of your visit?”

“ Hum.. no. I want it to be a surprise.”, replied Harry smirking.

************

“ How about this one?”, asked Elle to Amelia, the head housemaid. She was thirty-seven years old and always helped Elle when she spend time at Woodenford. Currently in her bedroom, standing in front of the mirror holding a purple dress in front of her, Elle pondered over her wardrobe choices. She had already selected a few that might be good for the benefit but haven’t quite decided on the one yet.

“ It looks lovely, milady.”, replied Amelia. Elle turned to face her and looked slightly annoyed.

” Well, you’re no help at all, Amy! This is the third dress I show you and you give me the same answer.”, replied Elle a little frustrated.

“ I’m sorry, milady. I’m not really good with fashion. Besides, you do look lovely in every single one of them.”, said Amelia kindly.

“ Thank you, but I need to pick one. Which one did you like the most?”, asked Elle. Amy got up from the couch where she was seating and looked at the three dresses on Elle’s bed.

“ Humm… I guess the navy blue one. It was the one that stood out for me.”, said Amelia. Elle picked the dress up and looked at it. Yes, this was the one. Navy blue, lace long sleeves with a sweetheart neckline and lace details.

“ Good choice! Thanks Amy.”, said Elle smiling.

“ Can I go now, milady? I really need to see the other girls.”, asked Amelia.

“ Yes, of course. I’m sorry for taking so much of your time. Thank you again for the help.”, said Elle grateful.

“ I was glad to help, milady.”, replied Amelia smiling an then leaving the room. Elle once again stared at her reflexion on the mirror. Well, I guess I’ll be wearing you tonight, she said to herself as she put the dress in front of her and looked at its reflexion.

************

At seven in the evening, she was almost ready. Her make up and hair were done and she only need to put on her dress. Even though her mother asked her to call Celia and Jake, the hairstylist and makeup artist they always hired, she wanted to do it all by herself. Unless the occasion demanded it, she avoided having people fussing around her hair and face. Elle was about to put on her dress when someone knocked on the door.

“ Who is it?”, she asked.

“ It’s Laura, milady. Mrs. Jefferson is here, ma’am. She’s asked to see you and if she can come in”, asked Laura, one the other maids.

“ Yes, of course.”, said Elle. The door opened, revealing a stunning Cassandra, dressed in a long, on shoulder, dark grey dress. Her blond hair was securely tied up in a stylish low bun.

“ Wow! Look at you!”, exclaimed Elle. “ You look absolutely stunning!”, she completed.

“ Well, thank you, milady.”, said Cassandra in a mocking tone and they chuckle. “ What about you? Why aren’t you dress yet?”, asked her.

“ I was about too when you came in.”, replied Elle.

“ Oh, don’t let me stop you. I just came here to tell you that I checked everything downstairs before coming here and it’s perfect.”, said Cassandra and Elle sighed happily.

“ Oh thank God. One less thing to worry about.”, said Elle, getting in her bathroom to change.

“ Great! Just wanted to tell you that. Well, I’m gonna go and leave you to finish.”, said Cassandra. But before she could leave, Elle appeared on the bathroom door and said:

“ Cassy? Thanks.” Cassandra only smiled and left. Elle reached for the zipper on the back of her dress, then put on her shoes and, once again, looked herself in the mirror.

“ This is it, Eleanor. Don’t bloody screw it up.”, she said to herself before leaving her room.

************

Elle walked into the Great Hall and looked around. There’s was soft music playing and food being served. The tables were decorated with small floral arrangements and candles. And at eight on the dot, people started to arrive at Woodenford Castle.

Ever the perfect hostess, Eleanor walked from group to group, greeting each and everyone of the patrons and guest of her parents foundation. Being sociable and speaking to everyone was part of the job. Some people were very interesting, others, not so much…

“ Eleanor! How wonderful to see you, my dear.“ , asked Lady Theresa Deaconsfield. She was one of the people who Elle wanted desperately to avoid that night. She belong to what Elle and Valerie called ‘The RAES’, Rich, Aristocrat and Snob, group.

” Lady Theresa. Yes, wonderful indeed.“, said Elle with a fake smile on her face.

” It’s terrible that neither your parents nor your brother could host this year. They are such great hosts. Oh well, I guess one must content oneself with what they get.“, said the woman and Elle gave a fake, lip tight smile.

” Did you know that my daughter has just gotten engaged to the Marquess of-“, before she could continue, Elle spotted Cassandra and interrupted the woman.

” Oh look, my assistant is here. I must speak with her about my speech. As always, it was wonderful talking to you, Lady Theresa, but if you excuse me, I have other guests to attend to.“, said Elle and walked off, leaving the older woman with a shocked face. She moved toward Cassandra’s direction as quickly as she could in her 5 inches heels.

” Thank goodness I’ve found you. You saved me from spending hours listening to Lady Theresa talk about her daughter’s engagement.“. Cassandra looked amused but suddenly, her eyes wondered being Elle and she looked slightly troubled.

"Cassy? What’s wrong?”, asked Elle, noticing the look on her face.

“Hum, Elle there seems to be a commotion at the entrance hall.”, replied Cassandra.

  
“What do you mean commotion?”, asked Elle, turning her head to see what was happening.

“ There seems to be a surprise guest waiting at the door saying that wants to talk to you.”, said Mrs. Lewis approaching them and Elle, even more confused than she was, walked towards the entrance hall, following Mrs. Lewis who looked a little bit shaken, passing many astonished faces. Walking up to Logan, who was receiving the guests at the entrance hall she asked:

“ What’s going on here?”. Logan only pointed to the left. That was when she noticed a red haired figure in glistening tux, smirking at her in the corner of the room, accompanied by three other men, all dressed in suits.

“Harry?” , she whispered to herself looking from him to the slightly amused, slightly ashamed faces of Harry’s secretary and RPOs.


	12. Chapter Eleven: Shall We Dance?

Disclaimer: see Prologue

_______________________________________________________________

“ Hi Elle.”, he said smiling coyly. Harry then started walking in her direction but before he could reach her, she met him halfway and stopped in front of him, smiling. “ What are you doing here?”, she whispered in a mix of surprise,wonder and happiness.

“ Well, I was visiting Tedworth House this morning when I heard about the benefit and the fact that you would be hosting. I just couldn’t miss the opportunity to stop by now, could I? So… surprise”, he said, singing the last word. Elle chuckled and shook her head.

“ Oh dear… Just what I needed to make me even more nervous.” , she whispered to herself. He smiled amused at her.

“ Do I make you nervous, Elle?”, he asked smirking.

“ Well no, at least not the version of you who’s known me since I was five. But, the other part of you who is His Royal Highness, Prince Henry of Wales, yes. Yes, it does makes me nervous. ”, she whispered again he chuckled.

“ Oh… don’t worry about that.”, he said taking her hand into his. “How about we just pretend you invited me as a surprise guest? I can even improvise a small speech if you want me to.”, he said and Elle looked again from him to his secretary. Daniel, noticing the tension, said:

“ If I may, I think it’s a good solution to this small problem, milady.”, said Daniel, Harry’s secretary. Elle took a deep breath and nodded to the awaiting man in front of her. Then, smiling, she said:

“ It seems you’re my new guest of honour, Your Royal Highness.”, and he offered his arm to her and they walked together back to the Great Hall. They smiled at the passing faced who presented them with mixed emotions: some smiled back, others whispered to each other and some were so shocked at the surprise presence of the dashing prince that couldn’t utter a single word. Walking among the sea of people, she found Cassandra and she nodded to her mentioning for the small stage.

“ Oh God… here I go.”, whispered Elle to herself. Harry noticing the concern in her voice, squeezed her hand.

“ What’s wrong?”, he whispered to her as they approached the stage.

“ I have to give my speech now… as in right now… before the ball can properly start. And this is the first time I’m doing it by myself.” , she said leading them towards the stage.

“ You’ll be great. I’m sure of it. Besides, I’ll be here if you need me.”, he said, giving her an encouraging smile, which she returned before stepping onto the stage. There were more less two hundred people present. Aristocrats, business men and women, old friends and investors. All patrons of her parents foundation. They nodded to each other. Here it goes, though Elle. Adjusting the microphone in front of her, she looked at the crowd, that fell silent. Taking a deep breath, she started her speech.

“ Good evening ladies and gentleman. As you may know, my parents, the Duke and Duchess of Wiltshire were not able to be here with us tonight due to weather complications, and they sincerely apologize for that. Nevetherless, they passed on the honour of hosting this fantastic event to me and I feel very privileged to be standing in front of you.”, she began.

“ Before we start, I’d like to thank to some very special people. Firstly, the staff and volunteers for the amazing job done with the children and specially, with the elderly of our community. It’s unbelievable what you can achieve by simply being kind, patient and respectful to the ones around you. Secondly, the patrons and guest for their generous attention and care to our causes. By supporting the Foundation, you enable us to help thousands of people in need, not only here in Salisbury but in the entire county. We are fortunate to have wonderful institutions that care for our community, one of them being the Help for Heroes, our sister organisation, who does an incredible job at helping and treating our wounded service man and women who so bravely fought for our country. So, I raise my glass to you and all the helpers of our community. Thank you.”, and the people applauded her. She looked to her right and saw Harry and Cassy smiling at her. She did it. Suddenly, she remembered about Harry and the whole situation and said:

“ Now, to conclude my speech, I’d like to welcome a very special guest and my dearest friend. Ladies and gentlemen, His Royal Highness, Prince Harry of Wales.”, and stepped to the left, making room for Harry to speak to the crowd.

“ Thank you Eleanor. Good evening to you all. Since this isn’t an official event, I’ll be brief.”, he said and everyone chuckled.

“ I’ve known the McClaire family since I was a child and from early on, in my relationship with them I learnt how passionate they were and are about their causes. When Eleanor invited me to be here tonight, I felt deeply touched by her request for I know how important this event is to her and to her family. Like many of you, I’m also committed to different causes and institutions. The Duke and Duchess of Wiltshire Foundation is a serious organization and it gives me great joy to see yet another amazing work done by it. So I thank Lady Eleanor and all of you for supporting them. Once again, thank you all and enjoy your evening.”, he finished and more applauses erupted from the crowd. Both Harry and Elle came down the stage, arms linked and walked towards the smiling faces of Daniel and Cassandra.

“ Thank you Harry.”, she whispered to him and he smiled at her and replied, “ My pleasure.”

“ Well done, milady.”, said Daniel once the pair had reached him on the side of the stage.

“ Thank you, Daniel. But I’m glad it’s over.”, she replied with a little chuckle in the end.

“ Why don’t I get a praise, Daniel?”, said Harry jokingly. Daniel shook his head and chuckled.

“ Yes. Great job, Elle. Your parents would be so proud of you.”, said Cassandra hugging her.

“ Thanks. I was so tense up there…”, said Elle chuckling. “ Well, now that this part it over, I think I’m gonna get some air… and a drink. Definitely a drink.”, said Elle excusing herself and walking towards one of the waiters. Harry, also excused himself and went after her. Cassandra and Daniel observed as they walked away with smiles on their lips.

“ You know, they kind of make a cute couple.”, said Cassandra to Daniel, who nodded.

“ They do, don’t they?”, he agreed, thinking that maybe this idea of marrying them off wasn’t so bad after all.

**********

Holding a glass of champagne, Elle moved through the dancing couples and out of the hall. Harry followed closely behind, without taking his eyes off her. Finally, she reached the doors that lead to the gardens and opened it. She walked in the gravel path that lead to the rose bushes. Stopping on her tracks, close to the roses and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. The chilly night air filled her lungs and she felt herself calming down.

“ Is the hostess hiding from her guests?”, asked Harry, waking behind her and coming to stand by her side. He heard her let out a low chuckle.

“ So, are you trying to hide or just escape them?”, he asked her, raising an eyebrow as he did.

“ A little bit of both I think.”, she replied looking at him and they chuckled.

“ Your speech was great, just in case you didn’t hear the applauses”, said Harry and she looked down and smiled.

“ Thank you. I was a little tense back then but I’m ok now. I’m fine with giving speeches about History and my research but when it comes to these events I get really stressed out and nervous.”, she confessed.

“ Would it help if I told you that still get nervous when I have to give a speech?”, said Harry and she shook her head.

“ Yeah, as if…”, she said talking a sip of champagne.

“ No really. Even during my best man speech I got nervous… I don’t know if you remember, but I was shaking a little during the beginning.”, he said and smirked. She looked at his face and chuckled, playfully hitting his arm. Then they were silent, standing there just looking at the garden and the stars.

“ You know, of all the places, this was the one I missed the most when I was in Scotland.”, she said starring at the sky.

“ I can see why. It’s so peaceful and vast. I remember we would come out here in the gardens to play and end up running nonstop until we reach the river. Then we would sit together, you, me and Ed with-”, said Harry smiling.

“… our feet in the water.”, they finished together smiling to each other. “ I remember. We had a good childhood, didn’t we? ”, she finished and he nodded. The awkward silence once again hanged around them.

“ I have to admit I was a little angry and annoyed that you show up without telling me but now I’m glad you’re here…”, she said smiling shyly at him.

“ I’m glad I came.”, said Harry smiling back at Elle. They stood silent beside each other for a while, staring at the garden in front of them. With a sigh, Elle looked back at him and said.

“ So… I’m gonna head back. Are you coming?”

“ Yeah, I’ll accompany you.”, Harry replied and the walked side by side, back to the great hall. When they arrived, the musicians had just started to play one of her favorite waltzes: And the waltz goes on by Sir Anthony Hopkins.

“Oh I love this waltz…”, said Elle as they watched the couples dancing. They walked further into the room and she couldn’t help but move her body slightly, following the rhythm of the melody. Harry glanced at her and saw her movements. Then, he stepped in front of her and offered her his hand.

“ Shall we dance, milady? It is a ball after all.”, he asked and she took his hand smiling shyly. Guiding her to the dancing floor, Harry took the time to properly look at her. Elle looked dazzling. The dress she wore hug closely to her upper body while it fell softly to the floor from the waist down. Its navy blue colour favoured her complexion, noted Harry .

They stopped at almost the centre of the room; taking her right hand on his left, he put his other hand on her waist and she put hers on his shoulder and they started waltzing. Smoothly, they moved together through the dance floor.

“ Harry… ”, asked Elle and he looked her in the eyes. “Hum… ”, he whispered.

“ Do you remember the last time we waltzed?”, asked Elle.

“ I do…”, he replied looking in her eyes. “It was on your 18th birthday party, Tales from the Vienna Woods by Strauss, right?”, replied Harry

“ You do remember…”, she said nodding her head, giving him a small smile which made him smile back.

“ It was one of mum’s favourites. I could have never forget it. She loved to dance, you know?”, he asked and she nodded. 

“ When I was little, she’d put a song, any song really, and spin us around in the living room at Kensington. We’d become so dizzy that we’d end up falling on the floor, laughing so hard that tears came out of our eyes.”, he told her, smiling from the corner of his lips when he spoke of his mother. There was this kind of glow in his eyes that shown the deep fondness for the memory he was sharing with Elle.

“ I don’t remember much about her but I do remember her kindness… and her smile. Which is the same I can see in you.” , said Elle to him. Harry then tipped his head to the side and gave her a crooked smile.

As the night progressed, Elle and Harry talked, laughed, shared jokes and danced together. When the ball came to an end, Elle thanked everyone once again and the people started to leave little by little. When the ballroom was already empty and the staff had started to arrange everything, Harry decided it was time for him to go.

“ Elle?”, he called her, while she was talking to Logan by the entrance of the hall. She turned to face him, and stepped closer to where he stood.

“ Harry! You’re not leaving, are you?”, she asked.

“ Well.. yes. I just came to say goodbye.”, he replied coming closer to her.

“ No no no. You’re staying here. I’ve already arranged everything with Logan and Susan.”, she said, moving her hands and shooking her head.

“ Thank you, but I don’t want to impose-”, Harry started but Elle cut him off.

“ Come on, Harry. You’re not imposing at all. It’s not like you’re a complete stranger… and beside, it’s far too late to return to London now. I asked Cassy to talk to Daniel and he already called Clarence. So you see, you have absolutely no need to worry about anything. You’re staying here with me.”, she told him.

“ Well, since everything is settled, who am I to say no?”, he replied smirking.

“ Great! Amelia will show the boys to their rooms and you come with me.”, she said. Elle and Amelia then took them upstairs. Upon reaching the first floor, Amelia guided Daniel, John and Leo to their rooms on the left of the stairs while Harry followed Elle to the second floor. They came to the top of the stairs and walked on a long corridor, to the right, full of mirrors.

“ Oh well, this corridors brings a lot of memories…”, said Harry looking at the all too familiar hall of mirrors.

“ I’d imagine so”, she replied and chuckled. “ Remember that time when you and Ed almost knocked down one of the mirrors whilst running?”, she asked, proceeded by giggle.

“ Oh yes… Mrs. Lewis was furious and both our mothers were terribly worried that we had gotten hurt, which was then followed by a very long scolding. ”, he chuckled when he finished and Elle smiled. Reaching the middle of the corridor, they stopped in front of a closed wooden door.

“ Here we are… I imagine you remember your room?”. said Elle opening the door.

“Is it still mine?.” he asked and she nodded. Openning the door, Harry saw that it had basically remained the same as the last time he had seen it. “ I thought you’d have changed it or turned it into something else by now.”, he said with a hint of fun in his voice.

“ Oh no… it’s always been your room and it continues to be…”, she said stepping closed to a small couch, closer to the night stand. “ I’ve selected some of Ed’s clothes for you to wear tonight. Daniel told me you’ve brought some with you, so Susan also left them beside the bed.”, continued Elle.

“ Thank you Elle. I really appreciate it.”, Harry replied and she nodded.

“ You’re very welcome. Well, it’s been a long night and I guess we all need some sleep.”, she said and Harry nodded sighing. Stepping closer to him, she smiled sweetly and brushed her hand on his arm.

“ Goodnight Harry.”, she said leaning in and kissing his cheek. “ Sleep well.”, she finished.

“ Good night, Elle.”, he replied a little surprised and she walked out of the room, closing the door behind her. He heard Elle’s footsteps along the corridor and then threw himself on the comfortable bed. Letting out a sigh, Harry closed his eyes and relieved the events of the night. The way Elle smiled at him when he appeared suddenly at her door, how she took his hand into hers, her laugh, remembering their childhood plays, her body close to his while they danced… Harry smiled unconsciously as he thought of her.

“ Ah… why am I feeling like this? It’s just Elle. I’ve always thought of her as a sister, a dear friend. SO why do I feel warmer, happier when I’m near her?”, he questioned himself. 

“ Oh God… I guess, I may, possibly, be falling for her…”, he whispered to himself, a small smiled appearing on his lips.


	13. Chapter Twelve: The Riverbank

**Disclaimer:** see Prologue

_______________________________________________________________

 _Thud. Thud. Thud._ It was the noise coming from Harry’s bedroom door. That’s how he woke on the next morning. With three knocks on his door. Taking his head from the fluffy pillow, he stretched his arms above his head and yawned. After blinking a couple of times, Harry asked:

“ Who is it?”

“ It’s Daniel, sir.”, said the voice. “ Oh, come in then.”, replied Harry, seating up lazily on the bed.

“ Good morning, sir.”, said Daniel entering the room, carrying some folded clothes in his hand. He walked over to Harry’s bed and put them gently on the trunk at the end of it, then he moved towards the windows, drawing the curtains open. The morning light came straight into Harry’s eyes and he groaned a little.

“ Why did you have to wake me up so early in the morning, Daniel?”, Harry asked, adjusting his eyes to the morning light.

“ It’s not that early sir.”, replied Daniel rolling his eyes. He was used to this kind of behaviour. “ And, as a matter of fact, I was instructed to do so by Lady Eleanor.”, continued Daniel. Harry was a little surprised by this last part.

“ Elle asked you to wake me up? Whatever for, may I ask?”, asked Harry intrigued.

“ It seems she had hoped you’d join her on her morning activities, sir. That is, before you can go back to London.”, replied Daniel with a small smile.

“ And what are these so called ‘activities’?”, asked Harry, taking his blanket off of him and putting his feet off the bed.

“ I believe it involves horseback riding, judging by the clothes she asked me to deliver to you, sir.” , replied Daniel still smiling. Upon hearing those words, Harry was on his feet at once.

“ Well, I should get ready them. Thanks Daniel.”, he said and Daniel left the room while Harry moved to the bathroom to shower and then change.

************

Elle, dressed in polo shirt, black jacket, riding trousers and boots, sat at the breakfast table, sipping on her Earl Grey and eating a piece of toast with mulberry jam when a flustered Harry arrived.

“ Good morning,Elle.”, he said to her and she looked up to him smiling. “ Good morning, Harry. Did you sleep well?”, she asked before taking another sip.

“ I did, thank you”, he said pulling up a chair in front of her and seating down. “ Daniel tells me you’ve planned some morning activities…”, he said as Logan and Joseph served him his breakfast.

“ Oh yes. I though we could take a short ride to the river… for old times sake.”, said Elle grinning. Harry smiled back at her, while Joseph pored tea in his cup.

“ Oh, I’d love to. It’s been a few months since my last polo match and I haven’t rode since then. ”, he replied taking a bit of his toast and sipping his tea. “Oh, and by the way, thanks for the clothes.”

“ Oh don’t mention it. They are Ed’s. I thought it would fit you seeing as you’re almost the same built.”, said Elle eying Harry, who smirked at her.

************

After breakfast, they took some time to catch up in the library. Elle told him more about her job at the Tower and the people who worked with her, told her charities and projects while Harry told her about his projects, the Army and his experiences in Afghanistan and what he hoped to do in the future. They joked, laughed and smiled, feeling at ease with each other. It felt as if their friendship had never been strained by the distance.

Then, an hour later, Elle and Harry walked together towards the stables, making small talk. Along the walk, they continued to laugh and share stupid jokes with one another. Entering the stables, they were greeted by Dylan, who was holding the reins of two beautiful horses, one black and one of chestnut colour.

“ Good morning, Dylan. How are you today?”, asked Elle friendly, coming closer to the black horse.

“ Good morning, milady, Your Royal Highness.”, he said and Harry nodded. “ I’m well, thank you for asking. I’ve prepared Lionheart and Percival as requested.”, he said, holding the horses’ reins to them. Elle grinned and looked at Harry.

“ Thank you Dylan.”, she said and he passed the reins of Lionheart to her. Taking it, she scrubbed his neck, and he threw his mane to the side making her giggle. Then, she turned to Harry and said:

“ You’ll be riding Percival today. You remember him, don’t you?”, she asked pointing with her head to the chestnut horse. “ He’s my father’s horse but he’s always been fond you.”, she continued smiling.

“ Oh yes… I remember him.”, said Harry, stepping forward, towards Percival. “Your father always let me ride him when I was here. I wonder if he still remembers me.”, he continued.

“ Why don’t you get over here and find out?”, she said, urging him to approach the chestnut, arabian horse. Harry moved slowly closer towards it and caressed its neck.

“ Hello old boy. How are you? Do you remember me?”, he said and the horse neighed, throwing his mane. Harry took that as a yes and Elle chuckled. Mounting on Percival, who neighed again, Harry smiled at the gesture and turning to Elle he said:

“ Yes, I guess he remembers me.” He saw her smile back at him and gracefully mount her own horse.

“ Shall we, milady?”, he asked once they were both ready to gallop and with a click of her tongue, she moved Lionheart forward. Harry followed subtly beside her. When they reached the top of a small hill, just outside the stables, Harry could see the river that run along the estate. Elle then turned her head, grinning at him.

“ Race you to the river.”, she said and off she was, running in front of him with Lionheart at full gallop. Harry humphed and complained but quickly followed behind her. When he arrived at the riverbank, he found Elle already on the ground, Lionheart laying on the grass, comfortably. When she saw him, she started laughing at his current state. Harry’s hair was ruffled up because of the wind and his cheeks were flustered.

“ That was unfair, Elle.”, he said, trying to hold his laugh but failing miserably at it.

“ Oh I’m so sorry but I just couldn’t resist it.”, she said between laughs, which made Harry chuckle.

“ What are you laughing at?”, he asked annoyed, while dismounting his horse.

“ You… Well, your flustered cheeks that is. I always found it funny when they got extremely red like that. It makes you look like one of those old ladies who put too much blusher on their face. ” , said Elle still laughing.

“ Oh really?”, he asked approaching her. “ I’ll show you will be laughing once I throw you into the water.”, he continued, now much close to her .

“ Oh no… Harry, don’t you dare!”, said Elle stepping back. When he started moving towards her she screamed and started running along the riverbank. He ran after her and when he saw her get distracted, he snatched her by the waist and lifted her up. He started laughing while she kicked her legs.

“ Put me down! Harry, I’m serious, this is not funny!”, she screamed and kicked her legs while he laughed.

“ Oh, you want me to put you down, do you? Alright, I’ll put you down.”, he said faking dropping her on the water.

“ No! No! Stop!”, she said laughing, holding tighter unto him. “ Harry please!”, she exclaimed. Harry then spun her around, pulling her far from the water but by doing so, he lost his footing and with a loud bang, they went straight to the ground, with Harry on top of her. They looked at each other and began laughing uncontrollably. Once the laugh started to die off, Elle shook her head at looked at him annoyed.

“ Get off me, Wales!”, said Elle, jokingly beating Harry on the chest. He rolled off of her, laughing like a maniac. Elle, on the other hand, had an outraged look on her face when she turned her head to face him.

“ Stop laughing, Wales! It wasn’t funny! That water is freezing cold and I could have caught my death if you had dropped me!”, she said, in an angry tone, punching his arm. He turned his face to her, looked at her and chuckled.

“ Oh don’t be so dramatic, Elle. ”, he said rolling his eyes. “ I wasn’t going to drop you. However, I’m going to do this.”, and he started tickling her. Elle couldn’t contain herself anymore. His laugh was so contagious and she was so ticklish that she simply couldn’t stay mad at him. Soon after, she was laughing beside him, tears coming out of their eyes as they lay side by side on the grass.

“ Harry! Please stop! It tickles!”, she said in between laughs.

“ Ah… but you need to be punished for rushing off leaving be behind.”, he said tickling her.

“ Harry! I need air! ”, she exclaimed laughing while he kept tickling her.

“ Do you surrender?”, he asked, looking into her eyes.

“ Yes! Yes! I surrender! Now stop!”, she replied still laughing. He stopped and she took a deep breath, recovering from the tickle attack she suffered.

“ Now THAT was unfair. You know how ticklish I am.”, she said to him. Seating up, Elle ran her fingers through her hair, taking out the bits of grass that were stuck to it. Harry did the same, ruffling his hair and clothes. Then, they sat together side by side, just watching the river flow calmly in front of them.

“ Ahh… I missed this.”, she said suddenly. Harry then looked at her and she at him.

“ I’ve missed how we’ve always been comfortable around each other here, at Woodenford. It’s different in London… here, here we can be free and forget about the government and the press and all the problems we have.”, she continued, now looking down and running her fingers on her loose hair. Harry paid closer attention to her as she did it. The way her long fingers brushed each strand of hair in a slow, graceful and repetitive manner.

“ Yes…”, he said in a dreamy tone. He kept looking at the way her hands moved and felt the urge to run his fingers though her fiery hair himself. How soft must it be, he thought. When Elle turned her head to look at him, he looked away.

“ I think we should head back. I… I need to go back to London before noon.”, he said getting up and extending his hand to help her do the same. She patted the leaves and grass off her trousers and jacket and nodded to him. Then, they moved silently towards the horses who had wondered a little along the riverbank. Gathering each one by the reins, they mounted their horses and galloped back towards the stables. Dylan was there, as always, to take them from Harry and Elle.

“ Thank you Dylan. Please be sure to give them some apples today.”, she said to him, getting off Lionheart.

“ Will do, milady.”, he replied. Elle patted her horse and gave him a kiss above its nose. Harry then got off Percival and Dylan took both horses to their stalls. After he was gone, Elle turned to Harry who looked slightly awkward standing there.

“ Shall we?”, she said smiling and they walked together on the pathway to the castle.

************

After a quick shower and a fresh set of clothes, Harry gathered the little he had brought and moved downstair to the awaiting company of Daniel, his RPOs John and Leo, the staff of the castle and Elle. They were all waiting for him at the Entrance Hall.

“ Well, I thank you all for the hospitality. It was incredible to be here again.”, he said to the staff, who smiled and nodded at him.

“ I’ll walk you outside.”, said Elle and he nodded at her. He walked past them, being followed by Daniel, John and Leo. Elle stopped by the door. John and Leo, walked pass her, thanking her and Daniel did the same saying:

“ Thank milady for having us.”, shaking her hand.

“ My pleasure, Daniel. I hope to see you soon.”, she replied and he nodded, moving to the car where John and Leo were waiting. Then, Harry stopped in front of her, smiling.

“ Elle, thank you so much for having me here. I had a wonderful time.”, he said smiling, talking her hands into his.

“ Oh it’s was nothing. I was very happy to have you here. A little surprised at first, but happy.”, she replied and they chuckled.

“It was nice to talk to you away from all the tension.”, she continued smiling at him, giving his hand a little squeeze. He smirked and they stepped closer, suddenly they put their arms around each other in a tight hug. Elle pulled back and, taking his hands into hers she said:

“ Have a safe journey back. I’ll see you in London.”, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, which made him smile.

“ Thank you. I’ll see you there.”, he said and moved past her. Daniel and RPOs nodded at her and she waved goodbye at them as they entered the car and drove out.

************

Inside her room, Elle was on her bed, starring at the ceiling, thinking about her morning with Harry. The moment they were lying side by side on the grass by the riverbank, more specifically.

It felt good to be there with him. Like they didn’t have a care in the world. No pressure, no politics, no conflicts. It felt so natural. With Colin it had always a routine. After almost six years together, they’d stablished a routine. They were comfortable with what they did, with what they had. Everything had its place and order. There was nothing new about it, no spontaneity, no surprise.

That moment with Harry, that simple laughter they share on the place where so much of their shared childhood took place, was exactly the opposite of everything she’d experienced with Colin. It was not carefully planned, it just naturally happened. Harry had this childish air about him… this goofy personality that never ceased to amazed, entertain and surprise her.

In this short weeks they’ve been ‘reconnecting’ per say, Elle realised that Harry was perhaps that missing piece that would give a special meaning to her life… and that maybe Valerie was right. Maybe it was fate that made them find each other again.


	14. Chapter Thirteen: A Party to Plan

**Disclaimer:** see Prologue

______________________________________________________________

September, of shocking news and pleasant surprises, was finally over and Elle was extremely happy for it. Gone was the month that brought so many changes in her life… and so, she welcomed October wit open arms, as a breath of fresh air. New month, new life, new Elle.

After the events at Wiltshire, Elle returned to London a few hours after Harry left. Arriving home, she met her mother at the entrance hall, looking surprised to see her there. It seemed her parents had finally arrived from Greece.

“ Oh Eleanor, my dear, I’m so glad to see you.”, said her mother embracing her as Elle walked in.

“ Hello mamma. How was the trip?”, asked Elle overcoming her shock. “ When did you get in?”, she asked.

“ Oh just now, dear. Oh and the trip was wonderful! Wonderful!“, said Victoria, gesticulating with her hands. ” Well… apart from the weather the held us for forty hours at the airport , that is.”, replied her mother. Her father appeared at the top of the stair as her mother guided her to the drawing room so they could talk.

“ Eleanor!”, he exclaimed and quickly descended the stairs to greet her. She let go of her mother’s hand to embrace her father. “ Hello papa.”, she said.

“ How are you? How was the ball? Was everything alright?”, he asked, his hand on her shoulders.

“ Well, my dear, I was just about to ask her that. Come, let’s go to the drawing room… there we can discuss this. I asked Brandon to bring some tea.”, said her mother. Entering the room, followed by Brandon who was carrying the tea tray, they sat together on the sofa.

“ Thank you Brandon”, said her father as the butler poured and served their teas. Once he was finished, he left them alone in the room.

“ So tell us, how was it?”, asked her mother, sipping on her tea. Elle stirred her own tea for a while before answering.

“ It wast great… and Cassy was very helpful", replied Elle with a smile. “ We sorted the last details when I got there on Friday. The people in general were very pleased with it.”, she continued by sipping on her tea.

“ That’s great to hear, my dear.”, said her father. Her mother, who still hadn’t praised her and had this anxious look on her face, looked at her with raised eyebrows.

“ Oh splendid darling! But…but isn’t there something else you wish to tell us? Such as the unexpected appearance of a certain prince …”, said her mother, giving her a knowing look.

“ Yes, well about that.”, Elle replied, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. “ Harry decided to greet us with his presence without telling anyone. Fortunately, it was okay in the end.”, said Elle in a slightly angry tone, taking a sip of her Earl Grey. “By the way, how did you know?”, she asked her mother who smiled.

“ Oh cousin Julie told me. But she was very discreet, mind you.”, said her mother. Elle rolled her eyes. Yeah right. Like Julie has ever been discreet, thought Elle.

“ I should have guessed”, said Elle taking another sip. “Thought I don’t remember seeing her there…”, she continued.

“ Oh but she saw you… and more importantly, she saw you and Harry dancing and remarked how great you looked together…”, said Victoria and Elle rolled her eyes once again.

“ Mum, we’re taking it slow and you know it. We’re not a couple yet, just very good friends.”, Elle told her defensively. “ Plus, it was just a dance. Nothing more.”, said Elle and her mother humphed. Her father watched their conversation with amusement. He knew there was definitely a spark between his daughter and Harry if she was so defensive about it. But, being the observant man he was, he wasn’t going to say anything until Elle felt sure of her feelings and her relationship with Harry had evolved into something more serious.

“ Anyway, I’m glad Julie could come but it was a pity Mary couldn’t. But then again, I imagine she’s too busy with the wedding preparations.”, said Elle and her mother nodded.

“ Speaking of which, I’ve just gotten Richard and Mary’s invitation and saw they’re planning to have the wedding in Wales. How different.”, Victoria said.

“ Yes, at St. Pierre’s in Chepstow. Ed and I are traveling there in two weeks for the rehearsals and then I guess I’ll see you and pa for wedding itself.”, said Elle and her mother nodded. They talked for a little while about the trip to Greece and what they had missed at the ball before Elle told her parents that she’s was going meet Valerie for lunch.

**************

Elle met Valerie at their favourite restaurant in Notting Hill. It was a very bright and spacious place that served country-styled food. After exchanging pleasantries and ordering, the two best friends sat together, talking.

“ So, how was the ball? Tell me everything!”, said Valerie, taking a bite of her chicken.

“ It was great! I didn’t choke on my speech, thank goodness and dinner was fantastic.”, replied Elle smiling. “ Oh, and I of course, I had Cassy, Logan and Susan to help me with everything. They were fantastic, as per usual.”, continued Elle, sipping her iced tea.

“ That’s it? That’s all you have to tell me?”, asked Valerie outraged. “ No Lady Deaconsfield faux pas? No new gossip from the twins? Nothing **at** **all** to tell me?”, urged Valerie.

” Well… before I tell you something that happened, you must promise me not to make a scene… and I mean it. So, do promise?“, asked Elle to Valerie who nodded excitedly.

“Alright.”, said Elle leaning in and Valerie did the same. “ Harry show up , out of the blue, at the ball.”, whispered Elle at once. Valerie’s eyes grew wide with shock. Before she could utter a word, Elle eyed her knowingly and she promptly closed her mouth out and took a deep breath before asking, in rushed tones:

“ He did what!? Out of nowhere?”

“ Yeah, now imagine my reaction: I go to the reception hall to greet the new guests and who do I find? Harry, his secretary and his RPO’s standing there! And the worst part of all, while I was looking completely shocked, he was smirking at me!”, said Elle chuckling.

“ What did you do?”, asked Valerie excitedly.

“ Well, I put a smile on my face and pretended to have had invited him as a surprise guest. I had to somehow explain why he was there so, he offered to deliver a small speech, after mine, saying how happy he was to be a friend of our family and support the foundation and bla, bla, bla.”, said Elle gesticulating.

“ That was very nice of him… Oh now I feel sorry for having missed this. I’d loved to have seen your face!”, said Valerie smirking.

“ Why thank you, best friend !”, said Elle ironically.

“ Oh, I know you love me. Anyway, what happened after it?”, asked Valerie with a glint in her eyes.

“ I went outside to get some air, you can’t even begin to imagine the stress I was in, up until my speech. So there I was in the gardens, chilling by myself, drinking a little bit of champagne when Harry appears. We talked a little and, though I was mad at him at first for showing up without telling me, I admit that I was glad to have him there. I kinda needed some moral support from someone who knows how to handle public speeches. An there he was.”, said Elle, smiling. Valerie eyed her dreamy eyed friend and smiled. Elle might not know it yet, but she was falling for Harry and Valerie knew it.

Valerie had noticed the small changes in her friend’s behaviour in these past weeks. The break up with Colin had torn her apart, even if she didn’t show it, Valerie knew it. An her rekindled friendship with Harry was helping her get back together, making Elle look alive. And, finally, after the first weeks of post break up, Elle was smiling, really smiling, again. And that, Valerie concluded, was thanks to Harry.

They finished their lunch and took a walk towards Porto Bello market. They loved going there when they had the time. So many smiley faces, different people and smells… Elle loved street markets.

“ You were saying …?”, asked Valerie as they walked through the stands.

“ So, after a while we decided to go back inside… and once there, he asked me to waltz with him. Waltz! Can you believe it? The last time we had waltzed was on my 18th birthday!”, exclaimed Elle.

“ Waltz? How romantic!” , exclaimed Valerie, clapping her hands. Elle rolled her eyes, much like she did when her mother made a similar remark.

“ It was just dance, Val. Granted, it was one of my favourites waltzes and he’s a very good dancer but that was it. We danced, we talked, the ball ended, I invited him to stay-”, replied Elle but she was cut off by Valerie.

“ Wait, wait, wait…he stayed for the night?!”, said Valerie a little louder. Elle looked a little shocked and mentally punched herself for telling her the last part.

“ Yeah, but it was no big deal. It was late and I thought best to ask him to sleep there. Besides, nothing happened! So take your mind out of the gutter, missy. I can only bet what’s going on inside that head of yours!”, pointed out Elle. “ And, you know he’s got his room there and everything. He practically lived there during the summer when we were children.”

“So no-”, started Valerie, but was cut off by Elle.

“ No! Nothing happened. Seriously! How many times do I have to say that?”, said Elle exasperatedly, throwing her arms in the air. ” We said goodnight to each other and on the next morning he got back to London.“

“You’re both no fun!”, complained Valerie, making Elle shook her head.

“ Anyway, enough about me. Let’s talk you. So, your birthday is coming up. When and where are you planning your party?”, asked Elle.

“ Well I was thinking Boujis, obviously… maybe Friday? A couple of friends? What do you reckon?”, asked Valerie.

“ I think it’s a fantastic idea… and, speaking of a couple of friends, what do you think about inviting Genie and her boyfriend… and Harry?”, asked Elle.

“ Oh yes, please!Do it! You’re the bestest friend ever of you do!!” , said Valerie grinning, giving Elle a side hug.

“ Yes, yes I know. You just couldn’t live without me and my awesomeness…” , said Elle and they both laughed. “ I’ll call them later tonight.”, said Elle and Valerie squealed.

“ Alright then! I’ll give them a call and make the reservations.”, said Valerie dialing the club’s number, which undoubtedly, was on her speed dial. Once reservations were made, Elle and Valerie ended their afternoon sitting by a small café, enjoying the chilly October breezy on their faces, before returning each to their home.

************

Once home, Elle decided to put on more comfortable clothes and read a book. She walked into the library that was filled with different kinds of books. From science-fiction to law books. From classics to the most ridiculous romantic novels that her mother loved to read for leisure. Elle had organised the library by herself and knew exactly where everything was. Running her hands on the covers, she went over to the classics section, looking at the titles. _Hmm I’m feeling like reading some Bard today. How about Much Ado About Nothing? Yeah… it seems like a good choice_ , she thought to herself.

So she picked it up and found a comfortable place in the couch to read. Sitting with her legs sprawled in front of her and her ankles crossed, Elle dived into the world of Beatrice, Signior Benedick, Hero and Count Claudio. She was mid trough the play when her mobile buzzed… a call from Harry. She put her book aside for a minute to answer him.

“ Hello!“, she answered cheerfully.

” _Hey Elle… How are you today?_ ”, he said.

“ Hey yourself… I’m good. Catching up with some reading. And you? Was the trip back okay?.”, she asked.

“ _Good, good… nothing much this afternoon. A couple of meetings and so. My morning though, was way nicer and spent with far better company._ ”, he replied and she chuckled. Elle could almost see the smirk in his lips as he said that to her.

“ Always flirting, aren’t you, Wales?”, she asked smiling.

“ _Hahaha, well you know me…_ ”, he said and she chuckled.

“ That I do… By the way, yesterday was fun! We should it again. Though I’m not sure if I can travel to Woodenford so often…”, she said to him.

“ _We should… maybe we can do it again when I take you to Highgrove. We have a couple of horses there…”_ , That startled her. Highgrove? She had never been to Highgrove before. _Is he planning on speeding up their relationship already?_ , Elle thought.

“ You’re not planning a trip to Highgrove with me in the near future, are you? ”, she asked hesitantly.

“ _Well, not yet but… you know it’s going to happen sometime in our future. Our… situation, is far from ordinary. And while the public doesn’t know yet, everybody in the family does… and they’re eager to meet you… officially. Pa and Camilla will, at some point, ask you to go there. It’s easier than London and far less constricted. ”_ , Harry said and Elle sighed.

“ I know… and, even thought I already know most of them, I want to meet them officially in the future, but, not just yet, okay?”, she said exasperatedly and heard Harry murmured an okay from the other side of the line.

“ And…since we’re in this subject of us, there’s something I’d like to talk to you …”, Elle took a breath before the next words came out of her mouth.

 _” Okay… what is it, Elle?“_ , he asked a little hesitant.

” Next week we’ll complete a month since the news and I guess it’s time to officially put ourselves out there… And… I kinda found the perfect way to do it.“, she told him.

“ _Really? Well, if you think you’re ready, Elle… I’m game if you are.”,_ he said cheerfully.

” I do… I am… The whole thing with Colin left me bruised but I’ll survive. It’s been almost a month and I’m feeling a lot better. Besides, sooner or later, people will start to suspect that there is something going on between us. We know we can’t keep meeting for lunches or parties in secret.“, she said and he agreed.

 _“ You’re right… and I’m glad you’re feeling better. Don’t worry, we’ll make this work, Elle…”, he said and she sighed again. “ So, what are you planning for out big outing exclusive?”_ , he said and she chuckled.

” Well, my best friend Valerie, I’m not sure you remembe _r her-_ “

 _” Valerie as in Lady Valerie Wentworth? I know her… well, not really know her but I’ve seen her a couple of times.“_ , Harry said.

“ The very same. It’s her birthday next week and she’s throwing a small celebration at Boujis on Friday. I was thinking that maybe you could be my plus one?”, Elle asked.

 _“ I think that’s a great idea… it’s simple and we won’t give them too much coverage… You know I hate the press but, sometimes, they can be useful and that’s one of those opportunities when we have to make the media work for us.”_ , he said to her.

” Great! Then it’s settled. Do you want me to come by or-“ _,_ she asked but he interrupted her.

 _” I’ll come and pick you up. After all, Boujis is closer to your home than mine. How’s 9pm?“_ , he asked.

” Perfect. Friday at 9pm. Oh… I called Genie. I imagine she’s coming as well.“, said Elle.

” _Brilliant… So, I’ll see on Friday…“_ , he said.

“ Yeah… see you then. And Harry… ”, said Elle.

 _“ Yeah?”_ , he asked, a little unsure of what was coming next.

“Don’t be late!”, she exclaimed and heard him chuckle.

 _“ Hahaha I won’t. Goodnight Elle.”_ , he said and she smiled.

“ Goodnight, Harry. Sleep well. ”, she finished the call and they hung up, both wondering about the sudden changes on their lives and new reactions of both their friends and the public when they finally come out as a couple. Even though they’re not yet one in real life.


	15. Chapter Fourteen: Plus One - Part One

**Disclaimer:** see Prologue

______________________________________________________________

Elle got earlier than she normally did to go to work at the Tower on Wednesday morning because she had to sort out some research papers and documents for her visit to Scotland next January. Since her link to Scotland was very strong, and she’d spent six years studying there, her boss decided that she would be the one going on behalf of Royal Historical Palaces and its researches, to an Annual Convention related to British Medieval Historical, Preservation & Maintenance, held every year at the University of St. Andrews, Elle’s alma mater.

Sitting in her office, Elle went about the her business, checking some forms, writing emails, reading reports, sorting out pieces of her research that would be presented at the Conference and so on. When her mobile alarm set off at 8:45am, she put down her things, gathered her coat and clipboard and went down to the entrance of the Tower to greet her group tour of the day. There were two teachers and about twenty-five children, between the ages of 8 and 10, all dressed in their red, white and grey uniforms, waiting for her.

“ Good morning everyone! And welcome to the Tower of London. My name is Dr. Eleanor McClaire and I’ll be your guide today. Are you excited for our visit?”, she asked the children. “ YES!”, they exclaimed and she smiled. “ Alright! Follow me then”. They walked in three queues behind her and every time she stopped to explain something, they gathered around her.

“… and this, children, is the White Tower. It’s the central building here at the Tower and it was built by the first monarch or king, of England, William I, the Conqueror. It’s also the place where I work.”, said Elle and she heard a chorus of ahhs from the children. She took them to the Royal Armouries, answering their questions about swords, lances, pistols and armours. An hour later and with a huge smile on her face, she finished the tour waving goodbyes at the children and their teachers. She was walking back to her office when her intern, Trevor, appeared before her.

“ Elle! Oh I’m so glad I’ve found you! Melissa is looking for you! ”, said him pulling her along the corridor.

“ Trevor, hi. I was down in the armouries, with my tour group… What happened?”, said Elle following behind him.

“ To be completely honest with you, I don’t really know but Dr. Worsley is here and she said she has some important news to share. She and Dr. Richards are in the conference room, waiting for you.”, he said, walking up the stairs. Dr. Lucy Worsley was the Chief Curator of Royal Historical Palaces. While Melissa was the chief curator of the Tower, Dr. Worsley was the chief curator above all of them.

“ Well, it must be something really important if Worsley is here”, said Elle to Trevor, who nodded fervently.

They quickly walked up the stairs and rushed to the Conference Room, which was located at the West Tower, at the end of the corridor where they both currently stood. When they got there,Trevor opened the door for her, which she thanked him and left. She look around and saw Melissa along with the two other conservators and Dr. Lucy Worsley, all seated around a long banquet-like table.

“ Excuse my tardiness. I was giving a tour.”, she said and both Melissa and Lucy smiled. Melissa mentioned for her to take a seat beside her.

“ Well now, since everyone is here, I think we can start. You’re all aware of our remembrance exhibition in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the Great War. Well, as part of the Tower of London Remembers exhibition, we’ve started and art installation at the Tower’s moat last week with ceramic poppies. Each one of them symbolises a fallen British soldier. They will be installed progressively until November 11th.”, she said and everyone nodded. We already now that. Why does she feel she need to come all the way from Hampton Court to tell us that?, thought Elle.

“ Now, this seemed very last minute to me but, last Friday I was informed by Clarence House that we’ll be receiving the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry to partake in a small, solemn event here at the Tower, where they’ll install three of the flowers at the moat.”, she said and we all looked at each other with a mix of excitement and anxiousness. “ They are scheduled to come here on the 14th at 10:30am. I advise you all to prepare for their visit. It shouldn’t be very long… However, there’s a protocol to be followed. Dr. Richards and Dr. McClaire, you will both be there to great and guide them.“

Turning to Melissa and Elle, she continued. ” You will both take them to the moat and explain a little bit about the exhibition. There will be a couple of representatives of the armed forces to hand out the flowers. They will place the flowers, they will pose for pictures beside the doctors and they’ll be gone. Any questions?“, said Dr. Worsley and we shock our heads.

“Good. Then it’s settled”, she said standing up. “ One more thing, there won’t be any visitation or tours in this day until midday. For safety measures, I’m told. That’s all. Thank you.”, she said. With that, everyone got up, and started leaving the room when Dr. Worsley said:

“ Dr. McClaire, may I have a word with you? In private.”, Elle nodded and moved back to the table, to sit beside the woman. Once everyone was gone and the door was closed, Dr. Worsley turned to Elle and said:

“ Eleanor, I didn’t want to expose you before your colleagues but, like Melissa, I’m aware of your and your family’s connections with the Royal Family.”, she said and Elle opened her mouth to say something but Dr. Worsley silenced her by rising her hand.

“ I just wanted to make sure that we don’t step over our boundaries here. I know you’ve always taken your job very seriously and I only ask that you continue to do so while you’re here, working for this organisation. So, I expect that you carry this visit and any other events involving members of the Royal Family with utmost professionalism. They may be your friends outside this office but here you’re just a representative of the work we do, nothing more.” , she completed.

“ I can assure you, Dr. Worsley, that I do and will continued to do my job with professionalism and care. I don’t have the tendency to mix my work with my private life.”, said Elle. She was a slightly taken aback by her boss’ words but knew why she had said it. Not everyone knows how to behave in this kind of situations, especially when the Royal Family is involved. She’d seen many people making a spectacle of themselves in front of a royal. But she was raised in a different manner. Elle had learnt to behave properly amongst them. _Well, at least in front of the media._ , she thought.

Dr. Lucy Worsley was surprised and pleased by the strength and truthfulness of Elle’s words and nodded satisfied. “ I only say that because I see great promise in you, Eleanor. I’d hate to see it smashed by something so trifle as this…”, finished the doctor. Then, the woman nodded again to Elle, stood up, making Elle repeat the same gesture, walked over the door and left the room, leaving Elle slightly confused and annoyed. Elle stood there in the conference room, just thinking about the her imminent encounter with TRHs.

************

Friday finally arrived and Valerie’s birthday with it. Elle was the first to congratulate her best friend, by calling her at exactly midnight. They laughed and chatted for over an hour about their outfits for the party and accessories they would wear for the night of celebrations that waited them.

 _“ So, you’ve never told me if he’s coming today…”_ , said Valerie

“ He? Oh… you mean Harry? Yeah, he’s coming. He’s picking me up at nine.”, said Elle.

 _“ WOW! He’s picking you up? As in driving in the same car as you and arriving together in front of the paps? That’s a big step for you guys… Are you sure you want to put yourselves out there already? You know, once you’ve done it, there’s no way back…”_ , said a concerned Valerie. She was happy for them, of course. But she couldn’t help by worry about her best friend. She is, after all, the sister she never had.

“ Yes, I think it’s time. I’m over Colin… well, practically over him… and frankly, Harry and I don’t have the luxuries of a normal relationship. We’ve only got a year before either the government or his grandmother decides to announce the engagement.”, said Elle.

 _“ Oh yes… I had forgotten about that. This sucks…”_ , said Valerie

“ Yes… well, we don’t really have a choice on the matter, have we?”, said Elle, almost jokingly. The whole ordeal with this imposed marriage didn’t seem to bother her that much anymore. She was learning to accept it… and now that she and Harry had decided to takes things to the next level and Elle was starting to feel something for him, it didn’t seem such a horrid idea.

************

At 7:30pm Elle started to get ready. She took a relaxing bath, washed and dried her hair and moisturised her face and body. She wasn’t going to overdue her look but, let’s just say she wanted to impress.

She carefully laid her purple dress on her bed. It reached just above the middle of her thighs and had a very nice and not too revealing cleavage. To finish her look, she decided on a very basic makeup, enhancing just her eyes. Finally, she put on her black pumps. Satisfied with her complete look, she sprayed some perfume, grabbed her purse and went downstairs to wait for Harry.

“ Wow little sis! Look at you! You are absolutely stunning! I’m sure my dear best friend will have a heart attack when he sees you.”, said Ed, swallowing a mouthful of popcorn when she entered the living room. Ed was usually out with his friends or locked in his room when he was home so it was a surprise when Elle saw him slouched on their mother’s prized sofa, watching what looks to be a Game of Thrones marathon.

“ Why thank you, brother dearest. But I hardly think I’ll give him a heart attack.”, said Elle, seating on the armchair next to him. He just shook his head and turned his attention back to the screen. Elle starred at the clock on the wall. Five to nine. She still had 5 minutes before Harry arrived. She reached for her small mirror and lipstick inside her purse and applied a thin layer of a peach coloured lipstick to her lips. As soon as she put the mirror and lipstick away the doorbell rang. Brandon, promptly walked to the door and answered it. Soon, he appeared at the living room door and announced that Harry was waiting outside for her.

“ Well, I’m off. Goodbye Ed.”, said Elle, kissing his cheek.

“ Hey! Don’t do anything that I wouldn’t do! ”, he replied when she was almost outside the living room. Elle then followed Brandon to the door, coat and purse in her hands. He opened the door for her and the chilly October breeze reached her arms. She smiled gratefully at the butler and stepped outside her home. The first thing the saw once she was outside was Harry’s RPO’s John and Leo. They smiled at her and Leo opened the car door for her while John eyed the surroundings. It all seemed very MI-6 to her but she knew that precautions had to be made when waking with a member of the Royal Family.

She stepped in and came face to face with a smiling Harry. “ I can’t see very well with this light, but from what I can see, I think you’re looking amazing.”, said Harry smiling. She smiled back at him and noticed his own clothes. He was wearing a plaid red, black and white shirt and jeans. Very casual.

“ Well, from what I can see in this light… I think I really like your shirt.”, she said and he chuckled. John and Leo entered the car and off they were. The ride to Boujis was a short one seeing as it was very close to her home. Once they got near it they saw what they already expected, paparazzi roaming both the entrance and the back of the establishment. Elle took a deep breath. _This is it_ , she thought to herself.

Sensing her nervousness, Harry grabbed her hand and gently pressured it against his, as in a sign of reassurance. She looked at their hands and then at him.

“ We’re in this together. I won’t leave your side. We can face them.”, he said and gave her a small smile from the corner of his lips. She reciprocated the gesture and nodded. Much like on the ball, knowing that he was there beside her gave Elle the confidence she needed to face the crowd of paparazzi that awaited them at the entrance of the club.


	16. Chapter Fifteen: Plus One - Part Two

**Disclaimer:** see Prologue

________________________________________________________________

The car stopped, John and Leo stepped out of it, clearing the way for Harry and Elle to pass. Harry was the first to go, extending his hand to her with an encouraging smile. She took it and soon she was standing beside him. Flashes and camera noises followed them everywhere, making her vision blurry.Still holding her hand, Harry guided her through the paparazzi maze and finally, into the club.

“ I think I may have gone temporally blind. And I’ve been on media-covered events before.”, she said blinking rapidly while entering the club. “ Well, I suppose they were never this close to my face then.”, she said to Harry once their were inside.

He chuckled but steadied her, holding her by the shoulders. “ You’ll get used to it. Trust me.”, he said, reassuring her again. Once the blurriness wore off, she spotted Valerie, in a mini black dress, accompanied by Bea, Genie and their boyfriends, Dave and Jack respectively. Elle and Harry walked over to meet them but as soon as Valerie saw them together, she rushed towards the couple.

“ Oh I’m so glad you’re here!”, said Valerie hugging Elle.

“ Harry, this is my longest and best friend, Valerie Wentworth.”, said Elle to Harry.

“ There should be a lady in there…”, said Valerie jokingly and Elle smiled. Harry steeped forward smiling at Valerie.

“ It’s nice to meet you officially, Valerie. Elle talks a lot about you.”, he said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. " By the way, happy birthday. I’m sorry I didn’t bring you a gift.“, he completed.

’ Oh darling, your presence here is my gift.”, replied Valerie smiling. “ Come, join us at the table. Bea, Genie and their boys are waiting.”, she finished, taking hold of their arms. Harry and Elle moved side by side to meet everyone else at the large table, with John and Leo following behind them.

“ Everyone, look who I found!”, exclaimed Valerie, making the people in the table turn their heads to see the new arrivals. Beatrice and Eugenie were the first to greet them, being followed by Dave and Jack, who already knew Elle and obviously knew Harry. They sat together and ordered a couple of drinks.

Time passed, and they stayed there, drinking and talking… just chilling with their friends. Some, becoming more intoxicated then others. Amidst drinks and laughs, Jack, who had drunk a bit more than the others, turned to Harry and Elle smirking.

“ Don’t be mad at me, I know you hate talking about this stuff, but I’m gonna ask what’s on everybody’s minds: are you two together? I mean, Elle I’ve heard about you and Colin… And I guess it just surprised me that after so little time-”., he trailed off, being cut be his girlfriend.

“ Jack! ”, exclaimed Genie. He gave a ‘sorry’ look. Harry looked at Elle who gave him a small smile and he said, putting his arm around her shoulder:

“ Yeah mate. We’re together. We rekindled our friendship when Elle returned from Scotland and-”, he was interrupted by Elle who finished, smiling at Harry:

“ Things simply evolved from there.” They had worked on a story to tell the people outside their close circle who didn’t know the truth. Jack seemed happy with their answer and nodded, congratulating them both. The table fell silent. There was a sense of awkwardness hanging in the air. Trying to lighten up the atmosphere, Bea smiled and looking at Elle.

“ Oh I think it’s wonderful to see you together and I’m very happy for you both! Besides, it’s so cute that you’re both gingers! You’re the cutest ginger couple that ever lived! ”, she said grinning. The table erupted in laughter and both Elle and Harry chuckled. Elle mouthed a thank you to Bea who gave her a small nod. Suddenly, the music changed and a familiar beat started, making Elle and Valerie look at each other with wide eyes.

“ OH MY GOSH, it’s the song!”, exclaimed an already tipsy Valerie. “ The one we danced on my 21st birthday, remember? Oh come on, Elle! You have to dance it with me!! Please, please,please? It’s my birthday!!”, she begged her friend. Elle rolled her eyes at her best friend and took another sip of her drink.

“ Fine, fine! I’ll dance with you.”, she replied standing up and Valerie dragged her do the dance floor. Harry watched as Elle moved, dancing beside Valerie and attracting more than enough male attention by doing so.

That was when he noticed one tall, dark haired man move closer and closer to her. He identified him as being one of the Chelsea FC players. At first she was okay with him dancing beside her but then he started to press his hands on her, trapping her in his arms. Elle pushed him away but the guy simply couldn’t take a hint. Harry’s hands turned into fists and he looked a mix of annoyed and angry. Noticing how he was reacting, Leo walked over to him.

“ Sir, do you want us to interfere?”. he asked. Harry shocked his head, sighing.

“ No, I can handle it. Just stay close if something happens.”, he replied and the RPO’s nodded. Harry then stood up and almost marched to where Elle was dancing. He approached her and looking to the man beside her, pushing him away and said:

“ Back off, mate. Can’t you see she’s not interested?”, he said in a composed tone.

“ I’m just having a good time, mate…”, said the man, trying to get close to Elle once more.

“ I said… _**Back.Off!**_ ”, said Harry, angrily, in a louder tone. The man stopped, looked at Harry and replied, also angrily:

“ And who do you think you are to tell me what to do?”, heavy smell of alcohol in his breath.

“ I’m her boyfriend.”, said Harry without even blinking. Elle turned and looked a little stunned at him. Did he just say what I think he did?, she thought.

By then, a small crowd have formed around them and John & Leo had already moved closer to the commotion. When the man looked at the two of them a few paces behind Harry he seemed to finally understand the situation. He backed off, putting his hands in the air and tumbled away, almost tripping in his own feet. Seeing that the man was away from them and that John and Leo had resumed their places at the table, Elle turned to look at Harry, who was staring in the direction the man went, and said:

“ Thank you, but you didn’t have to do that.”. He turned his attention towards her and replied. Harry looked at her first quizzically then softly.

“ Yes I did. He was harassing you.”, he said to her, still feeling a little bit angry. Seeing her distress at his tone, his eyes softened. He took her hand and started moving towards the table but Elle stopped him, who looked confused at her.

“ Will you dance with me?”, she asked. He didn’t have to answer. Harry simply placed his hands on her waist and they started moving closer, their bodies touching one another, to the sound of the music. Valerie, who had distanced herself from them, watched their interaction with a smily face.

_My heart is racing as you’re moving closer_

_You make me higher with every breath I take…_

The lyrics, all too suggestive, made them pull each other even closer. Elle’s hands were hooked on Harry’s neck, while his pulled her tighter by the waist towards him.

_Take me on the floor (dadada da dadadada)_

_I can’t take it any more (dadada da dadadada)_

_I want you, I want you, I want you… show me love_

The tension and attraction that had been building up since the ball, was visible between them now, and beginning to be too much for them both to bare.

“ God, I wanna kiss you”, he said huskily in her ear. She backed off a little bit to look into his eyes and replied:

“ Then kiss me.” She needn’t say it twice. He took his right hand off her waist and brushed his fingers gently on her temple and cheeks, finally cupping it. Meanwhile, she played with the bits of hair at the base of his neck, softly twirling her fingers in it. His head moved closer to hers and, leaning in and their lips touched. Their kiss started smoothly and careful. But as soon as they bodies couldn’t come any closer, it became rougher and more urgent. His hands on waist tightened and Elle’s nails scratched his neck, making him let out a low moan while they kissed. They pulled away slowly, just before the music stopped, their breathing rapid and shortened. Harry looked into her eyes, searching for any sign of regret, but found none. Repeating the gesture he made before, Elle cupped his left cheek and ran the tip of her fingers along it, smiling softly while doing it.

“ I might’ve gone mad had I not kissed you.”, he said, stroking her cheek with his thumb. “ What are you doing to me, Elle? I’ve spent so little time with you and yet, you’ve got me under some sort of spell. I’m hooked.”, he said staring into her clear green eyes.

“ Believe me, the feeling is mutual. There’s this thing about you that keeps drawing me in, drawing me closer to you.”, she replied.

They just stayed there, in the middle of the dance floor, faces still so close that their noses touched. It may sound cliché, but it was as if the world around them had been put on silent mode. They couldn’t hear a sound or feel any movement beside one another. A sudden tap on her shoulder made then pull away from each other. It was Valerie calling them back to the table.

Once they got there, a couple of waiters were bringing a tray of cupcakes with small candles in each of them. Being the festive person she was, Valerie insisted on having some kind of cake so they could all sing Happy Birthday to her and she could blow the candles.

************

After singing, eating and more drinking, people started to leave. It was almost 4am when Elle, Valerie and Harry decided to go home. John and Leo had already called the car and were waiting for Harry at the entrance. Valerie, who was beyond drunk at this point, looked incapable of going home alone.

“ I best go with her… just in case she needs me.”, said Elle to Harry. He was a little disappointed that she wouldn’t be returning with him but understood the situation. Yet, he still wanted to talk to her about the kiss.

“ Yeah, sure… of course.”, he said nodding. “ Hum… I- …. would you mind having lunch with me tomorrow?”, he continue.

“ Not at all… I’d love to! How about two, at the Garden?”, she said.

“ Perfect. Oh and wear something comfortable. I have an idea for something afterwards.”, he told her smirking.

“ Alright…”, said Elle suspiciously. Valerie then appeared beside them, stumbling a little bit.

“ It was so good of you to come, Harry! We should go out more!”, said Valerie hugging him.

“ Oh definitely! And it was my pleasure.”. replied him chucking. He then turned to Elle who stood in front of him and kissed him on the cheek, teasingly close to his mouth.

“ I’ll see you tomorrow then.”, she said and followed behind Valerie who was almost at the door.

************

Going out of Boujis was as challenging as entering it. The only difference was that this time she had a tipsy best friend as company and not a prince. Nevertheless, the paparazzi were as much inconvenient as before. Once they were safely inside the car, Valerie turned to Elle and said:

“ You know, I saw you two there on the dance floor.”

“ I have no idea what you’re talking about.”, replied Elle, trying not to smile.

“ You know exactly what I’m talking about. I may be drunk but I remember what I saw and, you both looked very, very passionate.”, said Valerie eyeing her friend knowingly. “ I want all the details later. But for now I think I’m gonna take a nap. Night night.”, she finished, reclining her head on the window. Elle didn’t even bother to reply. All she could think about was the kiss and its kisser. And what a kisser he was…


	17. Chapter Sixteen: Heat and Soul in its Place?

**Disclaimer:** see Prologue

___________________________________________________

After making sure that Valerie had arrived safely in her flat, Elle finally went to her own home. It was past 4am and she desperately needed a hot shower and her very comfortable and fluffy bed. When she got home, she took off her black pumps, went up the stairs, trying not to make a sound and not to wake anyone up. Once she was inside her room, she discarded her shoes in the corner of the room, next to her vanity desk and started to undress. She then moved to her bathroom and got in the shower.

As the hot stream fell on her back, she keep rolling the images in her head of what had occurred on the dance floor at Boujis between her and Harry, as if they were a film, over and over again. The way they had moved together during the dance… how if felt right, magical and surreal at the same time. She remembered how his hands held her tight by the waist, keeping her close to him. How his clear blue eyes looked deeply into hers. And, the way his lips felt when they touched her own. Sweet at first, and then, hungry, urgent, passionate.

“ What are you doing to me, Harry?”, she spoke to herself, touching her lips and letting out a sigh.

************

On the next morning, Elle woke up later the usual time but managed to join her family for brunch.

“ Ahh here she come! Good morning, darling sister! Did you sleep well?”, said Ed giving her a peck on the cheek.

“ Good morning, Ed. Good morning papa, mama.”, she said giving a kiss on her father’s head and one on her mother’s cheek. “ You’re awfully cheerful this morning… what happened?”, she asked her brother, while taking her seat at the table.

“ Nothing!”, he answered quickly, while stuffing his mouth with a piece of toast.

“ Would you like some cake, darling? It’s St. James’, your favorite.”, asked her mother. Elle eyed her suspiciously then turned to her brother, who gave her a tense smile. She then turned to her father, who was currently reading the newspaper.

“ You’re both acting rather off… what’s going on?”, she asked and both her mother and her brother looked at each other. Elle sighed annoyed.

“ Papa, what is it?”, she asked. Her father then looked up to her and said:

“ We didn’t want to upset you so early in the day, my darling.“, he began. “But I think it’s best for you to know now…”, he continued as he put down his paper.

“It seems you and Harry have made the headlines on the tabloids this morning.”, he said passing her a copy of the Daily Mail.

> _“ Harry’s new lady!_
> 
> _Two months after breaking up with blonde aristocrat Cressida Bonas, Prince Harry was seen arriving yesterday at Boujis accompanied by a red haired woman, whose face we couldn’t see! We later discovered that it’s no other than one of our favourites, Lady Eleanor McClaire, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Wiltshire and sister to one of the prince’s closest and hottest friends, Edward McClaire, the Marquess of Wardour._
> 
> _The couple arrived together (as seen in the picture above) for the birthday party of another aristocrat, Lady Valerie Wentworth. Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, along with their respective boyfriends, were also among the guests. Though the couple left in different cars, it was reported by onlookers that Harry and Eleanor had quite a bit of fun on dance floor last night._
> 
> _We can’t know for sure if there’s a new relationship for Harry there, but we can certainly affirm that we want to see more of them together. ”_

As she read it, she could feel the eyes of her family on her, waiting to see her reaction.

“ And so… it begins.“, she said, when she finished reading it, putting the paper down and looking up to see her family’s awaiting faces.

” My dear, I’ve tried speaking to the Prince of Wales about it but-“

” There’s no need, papa. I knew this was bound to happen. Besides, Harry and I kind of planned it to. We knew there would be photographers there… and we thought that it would be the perfect opportunity to give them something to speculate about without exposing ourselves too much. “, said Elle taking a sip of her tea.

” So you knew they were going to print an article?“, asked her brother, looking at her quizzically.

“Not exactly, but we knew we were bound to be photographed.”, she replied whilst spreading blackberry jam on her toast. Sensing Ed’s eyes on her, she sighed and putting the toast down, she gazed at him and continued:

“ Look, we only have an year before the engagement is announcement Ed…, and it’s already been a month. We can’t keep having secret lunches like we have been doing so far. We don’t have the luxury of time nor the privilege that Will and Kate had to protect their relationship on its early stages in a city in the Scottish Highland where basically nothing happens.”

“ So you’re both just gonna go on full-exposure mode for the media now? You know how they are! They’re gonna eat you alive! ”, said Ed, his voice a bit louder.

“ Don’t you think I don’t know that? It’s not what I wanted, nor what Harry wanted, but if we are to do what’s expected of us, this is what needs to be done. Don’t forget, brother dearest, that I’ve graduated with double-first class honours in History and Politics. I know what I’m doing; I understand the strategies of the game, and you as my brother and a lawyer, should understand my reasons behind this better than anyone else.”, she replied calmly, trying not to raise her voice, sipping on her tea and he fell silent. Her mother looked incredulous to her while her father eyed her with curiosity.

“ Now, if you excuse me, I have to get ready for my lunch with Harry.”, she said getting up the table and going to her room. Her mother, got up as well and followed her.

************

In her room, Elle sat on her bed, head on her hands, trying to clear it up. She heard a knock on the door.

“ Come in.”, she said and her mother entered.

“ Do you mind explaining to me what was all that about? ”, she asked and Elle looked at her. Victoria then proceeded to sit beside her daughter and gave her a tell-me-everything-or-else look.

“ There’s nothing to explain, mum. I was forced into a political scenario that requires certain measures to be taken; publicity being one of them.”, said Elle cooly.

“ Eleanor, we’re not talking about a political campaign or a diplomatic mission here. This is your life-”, started her mother but Elle interrupted her by standing up and saying, right into her mother’s eyes.

“ My life? It’s not my life anymore, is it? My life was perfectly alright before all of this! I didn’t ask to marry Harry or to be a part in this game the Parliament and the Royal Family are playing. But, since I’m in the middle of it, I’ll handle it the way I learnt to: rationally, analysing every move and playing it better than the others can. This way, I won’t get hurt and everyone can live hapilly every after.”, Elle replied.

“ Oh my darling…”, said her mother, standing up and walking toward Elle, who was standing by the window.

“ Why can’t things work the way I had planned?”, she asked rhetorically sighing. “ Just when everything was running its course and Harry and I finally reestablish out friendship, my stupid feelings come to get in the way and mess it all up.”, said Elle, rubbing her hands on her face.

“ What happened between you and Harry last night? You know you can tell me anything.”, said her mother, rubbing her back, comforting her.

“ Harry and I kissed last night. And… we kind of admitted having feelings for each other. And now… now I can’t stop thinking about it. ”, said Elle. Victoria was silent for a few minutes but a small smile crept on her lips.

“ Well, that’s a good thing, isn’t it? ”, she finally said it. Elle took her hands off her face and starred at her mother like she was an alien.

“ Good? It complicates everything!”, Elle said exasperatedly, throwing her hands in the air and walking to her bed, where she sat at the edge of it.

“ I was trying to be rational about this relationship, remember? By just being good friends with him because, deep down, I still have feelings for Colin.”, she said to her mother.

“ Of course you do! You’ve been together for 6 years! I’d be surprised if you didn’t.”, said her mother smiling.

“ But… why then do I have this emotions bubbling inside of me when I’m with Harry? Every time I’m around him, I start feeling something that a friend should not be feeling… It’s different from what I felt with Colin. Fells like a part of me awakens when he looks at me. And I know this will sound so cliché but, when he kissed me last night, it felt so… magical. I’m just… I’m just so confused right now, mum.”, she said, trowing herself in her bed. Sighing, her mother walked over to her.

“ Darling, you don’t have to figure everything out right now. Give it time.”, said her mother sitting again on the bed, running her hand on her daughter’s hair.

“ But that’s the thing: I don’t have time. We don’t have time. This whole relationship has been put on fast forward mode.”, said Eleanor closing her eyes and sighing. Sitting back she said to her mother:

“ I better start changing. I’m meeting Harry at the Garden for lunch.”, and stood up moving towards her wardrobe. Victoria looked at her as she moved. She was completely at loss. She didn’t know what do to make this easier for her daughter.

“ Elle, talk to Harry. Not only about the kiss but about everything that’s bottled up. It will make you feel better.”, said her mother.

“ Will it?”, replied Elle unsure of what was to come next.


	18. Chapter Seventeen: With Urgency, but not with Haste

**Disclaimer:** see Prologue

________________________________________________________________________

The Garden was a members only, organic restaurant, with a 1.5 acres English garden, located on the 7th floor of a century-old building, above Kensington High Street. It was sophisticated yet not over the top expensive. But it’s membership allowed more privacy for meetings, such as this one.

Elle arrived there at precisely at a quarter to two in the afternoon and was directed to the garden itself by the maitre. Harry was already there, in jeans and white crispy shirt, his coat hanging on the back of his chair. He was currently entertaining himself by doing something on his phone. John and Leo, who were also there, were casually seated on a table a few paces to his left. When he looked up and saw her coming in his direction, Harry smiled and stood up from his seat, giving her a gentle smile.

“ Hello Elle,”, he said kissing her on the cheek. “ You look beautiful.“

“ Hey.” , she replied smiling, giving him a kiss on the cheek as well. “Thank for inviting me.”, she finished. Harry then pulled a chair for her and she thanked him. As she was about to say something, the waiter interrupted her with their orders.

“ I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve already ordered for us.”, said Harry as the waited placed the plates in front of them. Elle shook her head.

“ Not at all. Let’s see what you’ve chosen for me…”, she said in playful tone, taking a bite of the chicken filet in front of her.

“ Humm this is delicious…”, she said. He smiled sheerly at her, whilst taking a sip of his drink.

“ I’m glad you like it. It’s one of my personal favourites.”, Harry said and she smiled.

They ate in an awkward silence but constantly glancing at each other. Elle wanted to say something but seemed to have lost her courage to do so. By the time they were almost done, Harry put down his fork and looked her in the eye.

“ Alright, I can’t take this silence anymore. Elle, are you in any way, mad at me? Is it about the kiss? Because honestly, I don’t regret it.”, he told her, with a serious tone.

“ What!?”, she exclaimed putting her own fork down. " No! No! It’s not it at all. ”, she replied exasperatedly, looking from him to her plate. He sighed and gently took her hand, which was placed close to her plate, making her once again look at him.

“ Then what-”, he started saying but she silenced him by shooking her head.

“ I’m confused, Harry.”, said Elle, looking at him. “ I’m so confused…”, she continued, closing her eyes. Harry let go of her hand, got up, and kneeled next to her, taking her hand in his once more.

“ Tell me what you’re confused about, Elle. Maybe I can help.”, he said in a whisper with a reassuring smile. Opening her eyes and starring at his, she nodded. Turning slightly on her set to face him, Elle said:

“ Oh Harry… you, you are the very source of my confusion.” Now, was his turn to get confused. He looked quizzically at her.

“ You know that I had a boyfriend before I was told the news, right?”, she said and he slowly nodded.

“ We dated for almost six years. Six years, Harry. And he broke up with me, with no explanations whatsoever, on the day my father told me about us. So you can only imagine how I felt. ”, she told him, eyes tearing up.

” Oh Elle, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know-“, he started and once again, she silenced him.

” I know… Anyway, once the initial shock had passed, I decided that I wanted this arrangement to be based only on a mutual partnership, a good friendship between us. Nothing more.”, she paused.

“ For a while, everything was fine. But when you came to the ball I… I felt a spark between us. And it frightened me because I still had feelings for Colin. In fact, I still do.”, she said and Harry was completely speechless. Of course she was confused, she had barely had time to get over her relationship.

“ And… when you kissed me last night I … I couldn’t help but give in to those feelings that were building up since the ball.“, she said squeezing his hand. ” Harry, I don’t know what to do. When I am around you I fell excited, scared, confused…”, she continued, taking her hand from his and putting them on her face.

“ Elle, look at me.”, he said, gently taking her hands off her face. “ I’ve been felling the same way! Ever since that night at the ball. And then in the morning, when we went to the riverbank… it felt right. I felt comfortable to have you there, beside me. ” , he finished, a smiled appearing on his lips.

“ You did?”, she asked and he nodded, grinning. Elle let our a breath she didn’t even realised she was holding and chuckled. They were once again interrupted by the waiter who collected their plates and the check. Harry got back to his seat and to let the waiter do his job. After he was gone, he moved forward and took her hand once more.

“ Elle, I know this is moving faster than you’d have wanted or planned… Hell! It’s moving faster than I would have wanted too, but we can’t help what we feel. And I know for sure we feel something more than just mere friendship.”, said Harry.

“ That we do.”, she said with a sigh.

“ Well, it’s not like we’re gonna wake up tomorrow and find we’re head over heals for each other but, now that we’ve both confessed that we actually like each other more than just friends should, we can give a go at our relationship. Properly this time. ”, he said, running his hand on her arm and she smiled at him. A true, happy smile.

“ Which leads me to our next appointment on the schedule.”, said Harry getting up and making Elle look confused at him.

“ Where are we going?”, she asked getting up and following him who was putting on his coat.

“ We’re are going for a stroll in the park. Shall we, milady?”, he said with a posh voice, offering his arm to her.

“ I shall be delighted, Your Royal Highness.”, she said taking his arm and they both chuckled. The mood had lightened up and the stress had seemed to have disappeared. They moved out of the restaurant, being followed by John and Leo and into the car.

************

They drove for about fifteen minutes before arriving a few blocks from great mass of trees Elle knew all to well. She looked incredulous at Harry, who smiled sheepishly.

“ You’ve brought me to Hyde Park? On a Saturday? With hundreds of people passing by? ”, she asked

“ Oh don’t worry! It’s completely safe… we have John and Leo with us. Besides, we have disguises.”, he said giving her a baseball cap, which made her laugh while Harry put on one himself. She then quickly pulled her hair up in a ponytail and put the cap on. Once they were settled, they got off the car, very discretely, and started moving towards the park with John and Leo following closely behind in a safe distance, not to draw too much attention. Harry offered Elle his hand and she took it. He felt surprised at how cold they were.

“ Sorry, my hands are always cold.”, she said and he shook his head and squeezed the one he was holding.

“ I’ll be sure to warm them up, them.”, he replied. Gosh, he can be so cheesy sometimes, Elle thought. While her hand was slim and delicate, his was bigger and rougher. She could feel the calluses on his palm - a result, she imagined, from his work and training with the army - as he gently rubbed her fingers, trying to warm them. She smiled from the corner of her mouth to the action.

The sky was grey and there was a chilly breeze blowing on their faces. Soon enough, it would get very cold as the winter approached. Turning on Knightsbridge Avenue, they passed by the Wellington Arch and moved to the southeastern corner of the park, known as the Hyde Park Corner.

“ You know, we’re not far from where I officially work now.”, said Harry.

“ Oh yes, the Knightsbridge Barracks, right?”, she said. “ It’s Hyde Park Barracks, actually.”, he replied

“ Well, historically, they were known and still are known as the Knightsbridge Barracks…", she told him and he rolled her eyes at her. “ Never argue with a Historian, Captain”, said Elle and Harry shook his head sighed smiling. They walked past the bandstand and soon the Serpentine came into view. Hundreds of seagulls could be seen near the lake and many others were flying above it.

“ I’ve always hated those birds. They’re so irritating. Stupid birds…”, said Elle in a slightly angry tone making Harry chuckled.

“ What? Don’t you think they’re annoying?”, she asked.

” Of course, but I wouldn’t go as far as to say that I hate them.“, he replied chuckling.

” That’s because you’ve never experienced receiving a dropping on your head.“, she said. Harry stared at her for a moment before falling into a fit of laughter.

” Don’t laugh! It’s not funny! “, she said hitting his arm while he continued on laughing.

” I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I was just imagining your head covered in bird poo. Hilarious!“, he said and she humphed. ” Oh come on, Elle. Don’t be mad at me. Forgive me? Please?“, he said and she didn’t reply, her face blank. Harry then started tickling her side.

“Stop it! Stop it! Henry Wales stop at once!”, said Elle between chuckles. “ Will you forgive me? I’ll stop if you said you’ll forgive me.”, he said.

“ Okay ,okay. I forgive you.”, she said and he stopped tickling her. They then looked at each other and started laughing. The people who passed by gave them mixed looks: some looked amused, other annoyed and some even looked confused. When they finally were able to collect themselves they had reached the bridge that would lead them to the other side of the Serpentine.

“Come this way.”, said Harry pointing to the bridge. They crossed it and walked over towards an oval shaped, river-like fountain. During the summer, people liked to gather around it or in the green area in the middle of it and put their feet into the running water to cool themselves. That day, it was a different story. There was basically no one else there. And the ones that were, were just passing through.

“ When I can, I like to come here to think.”, said Harry as they got closer to the fountain. “ It calms me down and it also… it also reminds me of her. How open and soothing she was…” , he finished looking from her to the fountain as they stopped at its edge.

Elle stared at the flowing water in front of her. The way that it began flowing gently down the steps and then suddenly, picked up pace and splashed a bit of it around the edges. Diana’s Memorial Fountain seemed to copy her life: calm at first then faster and faster with each turn. But not matter how the pace changed, the water itself remains the same; pure and refreshing. Just like his mother was.

They were standing there, side by side looking at the fountain. Sensing the longing and loneliness in him, she snuggled closer to him, putting one arm around his waist as he moved his to embrace her by the shoulders. Minutes passed and they decided to seat on the edge, where the water flowed slower.

“ I just remembered. I’m going to visit the Tower with William and Catherine in two weeks. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, I forgot .”, he said looking at her.

“ Oh don’t worry over it. I was going to ask you about the visit but… well, I’ll be there with my boss to greet you. We’re even going to take a photo together.”, she said and he chuckled.

“ It’s true! Well, actually, I’m not sure if they’re going to keep me away from it, now that they printed that article about us this morning.”, said Elle.

“ Yes, the article. I hope it didn’t upset you…”, he asked concerned.

“ No, it was fine. To be honest, I was just a bit shocked, really. Well, my family more than myself ; and we knew they’d print something, Harry. What they said didn’t bother me.”, she replied with a small smile, while gently brushing her fingers on the water. Harry then turned to look at the Serpentine across the fountain. Noticing how distracted he was, Elle splashed a bit of water on his face and chuckled.

“ Oh you didn’t …”, he said putting his hand of the cold water and preparing to splash some on her face. She got up and ran from him, laughing.

“ Come back here you little minx.”, he said running after her and grabbing her by the waist. She laughed, trowing her head back. He turned her to face him and now, their faces were inches from one another.

“ Lady Eleanor, what am I going to do with you? You’re just too irresistible. And… I think I might have to kiss you now.”, he whispered, inching his face closer to hers.

“ Well, what are you waiting for, Your Royal Highness?”, she replied smiling, her hands circling his the waist. and her leaned down, cupping her cheek and giving her a gentle kiss. Her right hand moved from his waist to his hair whiles his moved to the back of her neck, deepening the kiss. Once they pulled away, he asked her a little out of breath:

“ By the way, how would you feel about paying a visit to my brother, nephew and sister-in-law?”


	19. Chapter Eighteen: The Cambridges

**Disclaimer:** see Prologue

______________________________________________________________

“ What? Meeting them? Where? When? ”, asked Elle in a mix of concern and surprise, backing up from his embrace. Not that she was worried about seeing William. Far from it; they knew each other from way back when they were pre-teens. But the last time she saw him was on his wedding. And that was three years ago.

That’s also the time where she had met Catherine. Being closer to Harry and his cousins than to William, Elle was never introduced to Kate when she and William were dating. Elle only got to know her after the engagement and it was very brief. The only moment the two actually spoke was at the wedding reception in 2011.

“ Next saturday, at Kensington. That way we can make you look professional yet relaxed when we all meet at the Tower. Plus it gives me an opportunity to snuggle George.”. he said caressing her cheek.

“ You’ve been planning this for a while, haven’t you?”, she asked teasingly.

“ I’ve been putting some thought into the matter, yes.”, he replied, running his hand on her arms.

“ And they’re okay with it? Us visiting them?” she asked a little concerned.

“ Yes! And they said they’re dying to see you again. Especially Kate.”, he replied smiling.

“ Well then, it’s settled. I’ve heard that George is quite the little rascal.”, she said chuckling.

“ Oh… you have no idea…”, he replied kissing her temple, putting his arms around her and moving away from the fountain. The walk back to the car was a relaxed one. They moved slowly, timing their paces to one another. His left arm around her shoulders pressed her closer to him while her right arm was secure around his waist; her head resting on his chest. Step by step, Elle and Harry were learning more about each other’s feelings and setting boundaries in their relationship.

************

Over the week, Elle and Harry talked and saw each other as much as they could; They’d had lunch together on Tuesday at the Bumpkin, which was becoming one of their favourite places to go and even had dinner together at the Garden on a beautiful cloudless Thursday.

On Friday, Elle decided she needed some girl talk and popped up at Val’s ( who was more then pleased to oblige) on the evening. Each holding a bowl of popcorn and seating comfortably on the fluffy couches in the spacious living room, Elle and Valerie recalled the events of her birthday.

“ So, you haven’t told me yet what exactly happened between you two. I know about the kiss, so don’t even try to deny it.”, said Valerie.

“ I wasn’t going to… seeing that it wasn’t the only one.”, replied Elle, smirking.

“ Oh you sneaky woman! When did it happen? Was it good? Tell me !! ”, said Valerie anxiously.

“ Well, after we kissed on your birthday and I left with you, you’re welcome by the way, things got a little confused.”, said Elle putting her bowl on the coffee table in front of them. “ On my way home, I realised that I was battling myself on whether or not I had feeling for Harry. And the truth is, that I do. I really like him, Val. I really do.”, said Elle sincerely.

“ That’s great, Elle! I’m so happy for you”, said Valerie, immediately hushing to hug her best friend. Once she pulled off, she looked at Elle’s face and said:

“ Why aren’t you jumping up and down? This is awesome news! That means you and Harry have an actual chance to make this bloody thing work!”

“ I am happy but I can’t help feeling scared. Colin and everything that we were is still fresh on mind.”, she said.

“ I know that forgetting about him and what happened is hard, but you have to move forward! Colin may have been your one true love in the past, but Harry is your present and your future!”, said Valerie, holding Elle’s hands.

“ I told Harry about it.” she said and Elle looked at her quizzically.

“ Last Saturday, we met for lunch and I told him about my insecurities. I thought he would react the opposite of what he did. He was so thoughtful, Val. So caring. He actually listened to my incessant blabber.”, she said smiling. She’s SO hooked, thought Valerie. “ Then we went to Hyde Park; disguised mind you, and visited his mother’s memorial. And… we kissed again. Only this time it wasn’t rough or breathless, it was calm and sweet.”, finished Elle.

“ Awn you’re falling for him…”, said Valerie.

“ Val, please don’t rush anything… It’s far too soon for that to happen and you know it.”, replied Elle.

“ But you told Harry you liked him, didn’t you?”, Valerie asked.

“ We both did and that’s all. At least for now. I don’t know what will happen next…” said Elle.

“ Whatever you say, bestie.”, said Valerie, rolling her eyes.

“ Thought it’s safe to say that a hope for a simple friendship is gone.”, continued Elle and Valerie nodded.

“ And… There’s one more thing I didn’t tell you”, said Elle.

“ What is it?”, asked Val while taking a handful of popcorn.

“ I’m going to visit William, Kate and George tomorrow.”, said Elle and Valerie almost chocked on her popcorn. After coughing a little, she said:

“ Tomorrow!? At KP? What time? What are you wearing? Are you bring them something?”. And Valerie kept asking on and on, wanting to know every single detail of Elle’s imminent visit to Kensington Palace and the Cambridges.

************

“ How do I look? Am I alright?”, she asked for the third time and he sighed. “ It’s the boots, isn’t? I knew I should have worn something more child friendly…”, Elle trailed off.

“ Elle, stop. I told before and I’ll tell you again: you look absolutely beautiful.”, said Harry and she sighed. “ And don’t worry about your boots, they’re fine. Kate wears heeled boots around George all the time.”, he finished and she nodded nervously.

They were currently on the backseat of his car, on their way to Kensington Palace. Elle put two packages in her purse; a bottle of wine for William and Kate and a small gift for George. During the short 15-minute ride to the palace, Elle kept playing with her fingers. She always did that when she got anxious. Noticing it, Harry brushed his own fingers on top of hers and squeezed them gently. She looked at him and a small smile appeared on the corner of their lips.

“ We’re almost there.”, said Harry and Elle looked through the window and saw the Royal Albert Royal. Five more minutes, thought Elle.

************

As the rode through the the sumptuous gates of Kensington Palace, Elle took a sharp intake of breath. Just imagine the History behind those walls! Of course we can see part of it, but there’s so much more to it, thought Elle in wonder. The car came to a stop; John and Leo got out and opened the doors for them. Standing in front of the massive buildings, Elle couldn’t help but fell mesmerized. Not by the building itself but for its History.

“ Elle?”, he asked taking her out of her reverie. “ Yeah?”, she replied, still looking at the construction before her.

“ Elle, listen. You have absolutely no reason to be nervous. My brother already knows and likes you; and I’m sure Kate will too.”, said Harry, outing his hand on her shoulder.

“ Oh no, I’m not worried. Really. A bit anxious, but I’m fine.”, she replied smiling, looking at him; which made Harry confused. “ I was just thinking about all the History this place holds.”, she finished and Harry stared at her.

“ What?”, she said. “ You’re unbelievable… Here I was, thinking you were nervous about meeting my brother and you were thinking about History! Only you can do that, Elle.”, he finished chuckling.

“ I can’t help it! I’m very passionate about my job. ”, she said shyly. “ I know you are. And I like you even more for that.”, he replied, planting a kiss on her temple. As they walked towards the building that held apartments 1 and 1A, Elle said:

“ And to think Queen Victoria was born in this palace…”, which made Harry chuckle once again. “ You know that she’s my great-great-great-great grandmother, right?”, he said and she gave him a of-course-I-know-dumb-ass-do-you-think-I’m-stupid? look.

“ Sir, if everything is in order, we’re going to the security office.”, said John and Harry nodded.

“ Come on. We don’t want to be late.”, he said as they entered the building.

************

Apartment 1A, which once belonged to Harry’s late great-aunt, Princess Margaret, had twenty rooms over four floors. Stepping in front of its main door, Harry rang the bell. A minute or so later, William, dressed in dark jeans, polo shirt and navy blue jumper, answered the door with a small plastered on his face.

“ Harry, Elle! How good to see you both! Please, come in.”, he said stepping aside to let them through. They walked through the entrance hall and into the living room.

“ Let me take your coats. Kate is just finishing giving George his bath.”, said William once they were inside. While taking her coat and scarf off, Elle observed the place. It was a spacious room; the walls were painted in soft pastel colours. The furniture was modern, yet had a classic sense to it. Holding the packages in her hand and handing her coat to William, who hanged it beside Harry’s, Elle said kissing his cheek:

“ It’s wonderful to see you again, Will. It’s been so long.”

“ Too long, Elle. I believe the last time we saw each other was on my wedding day.”, said William chuckling.

“ True. But now we’ll see more of each other, I’m sure.”, she replied and William nodded smiling. He then pointed to the sofa in front of them, urging them to take a seat.

“ Do you want anything to drink? Water, perhaps?”, asked William and they shook their heads and thanked him. Moving to the sofa, they were just about to begin talking when Kate appeared on the room with a bouncing George in her arms.

“ Harry! Hi!”, said Kate giving him a kiss on the cheek. “And Elle. How nice to finally meet you! Properly, I mean. And before you start with titles or full names, please call me Kate.”, said Kate, giving her a kiss on the cheek as well and recalling their brief meeting on her wedding reception.

“ We’ve been asking Harry to meet you for weeks!”, she completed putting George on the floor, who promptly started tumbling toward his father and uncle who were now seating on the sofa.

“ It’s wonderful to see you again and, I’m afraid I’m to blame for taking so long to visit you. I wasn’t… quite ready to do so…”, said Elle and Kate nodded, shifting her look from Elle to William. She then took a seat beside William, who had put George seated on the floor in front of him and Elle sat beside Harry.

“ Oh this is for you”, she said handing William the wine, “ And this, is for George.”, she completed giving Kate the small rectangular gift.

“ Thank you Elle. It was very thoughtful of you.”, replied William, sharing a quick look with Kate, who turned her head to her infant son and said, while picking him up:

“ Georgie look! You’ve got a present. Let’s see what is it?”, said Kate, putting George on her lap and carefully touring the rapping.

“ Oh, it's _The Very Hungry Caterpillar_. I loved this book when I was a child! Thank you so much, Elle.”, said Kate, while George tried to opened the book.

“ It was nothing. I’m very glad you liked it.”, replied Elle smiling. Kate smiled back, then turned her attention back to George who had now successfully opened the book and was running his fingers over the bright and colourful illustrations in the book.

“ So Elle, how was St. Andrews?”, asked William.

“ It was great, as I’m sure you both know. I had a wonderful time there and I got to spend more time with my mother’s family, my late grandfather, aunt, uncle and cousins up in Argyll.”, replied Elle.

“ Oh yes, we’ve heard about his passing. I’m so sorry. Ed told us you were very close.” , said William

“ Thank you. I was lucky I got to spend so much time with him before the diseases took him.”, replied Elle sadly.

“ And how has it been being back in London? Good, I hope.”, asked Kate. “ I met your mother at the National Portrait Gallery Gala and she told me at the time that you had been back for only a month.”, continued Kate.

“ Oh yes… Well, it’s been good, especially now that things are starting to settle down. I’m working with this amazing researcher, Dr. Melissa Richardson, at the Tower of London. And the best part is that I get to work not only on my projects but also with the children that come daily to the Tower.”, replied Elle happily.

“ Really? That’s great, Elle. We’re happy for you.”, replied William. George, who had started to squirm in her mother’s lap, was put on the floor and once again started to walk.

“ Come to uncle Harry, Georgie!”, said Harry and George moved his little legs towards his awaiting uncle, whose arms were stretched, trying to reach him.

“ Ah got you. Come here you… ”, said Harry reaching out for the little boy and putting him on his lap.

“ Oh you’ve got so big! And you’re basically walking now!”, he said in awe. Elle looked at them and smiled at him. Harry caught her looking and smiled back.

“ Georgie, see this lady here? Her name is Elle and she’s very, very special to uncle Harry.”, he said and Elle chuckled, reaching for George’s stomach, giving him a small tickle.

“ Hey George. Aren’t you a handsome little boy?”, she said and he giggled, making everyone laugh. While Elle and Harry continued to play with George, completely immersed in it, while William and Kate watched their interaction.

“ Just look at them! They’re great together!”, whispered Kate to William.

“ True. Granny surely outdid herself this time with her matchmaking skills.”, replied William in a rushed tone. They watched them play with their infant son for a while longer before Kate said:

“ I think it’s time for dinner.”

“ Yes please! I’m starving!” , replied Harry, who was now seated on the floor playing with George.

“ Alright then. You and William can set the table. Elle, could you help me in the kitchen?”, asked Kate moving to the kitchen and Elle, nodded, following her. There, Kate moved to the oven and turned it on.

“ I’ve made lasagna. I hope you like it.”, said Kate.

“ I love any kind of pasta.”, replied Elle. “ So, what do you need my help with?”, she asked Kate.

“ Oh nothing, I just wanted an excuse to talk to you alone.”, replied Kate and Elle panicked a little bit. Oh dear, this is it., she thought.

“Oh…”, said Elle, while Kate was leaning back on the counter.

“ Don’t worry, I’m not going to throw a million questions at you. I just wanted to say that, even though my situation was different than yours…”, she said and Elle’s eyes popped. “ Not only because of the arrangement, which I was furious about, but also because you are an aristocrat and grew up in this environment, I understand you. And I’m here if you need anything.” said Kate and Elle let out a sigh.

“ Anyway, the fact is, we know one way or the other you and Harry are getting married in the near future. And even though the circumstances aren’t ideal for you both, I can see it happen.”, Kate continued.

“ You do?”, asked Elle.

“ Yes! The way both were playing with George just now tells me you’ve already stablished some form of companionship. That will be vital to your relationship now and in the future. Being a member of this family is not an easy thing. Even less so if you’re in it by marriage. And while we don’t know each other very well now, I want to be your friend. And if you ever need someone to talk to, about whatever problems you’re having in your relationship with Harry, dealing with the press or handling the family, call me or just come here, for the matter.”, finished Kate.

“ Kate, I… I don’t know what to say.” said Elle and Kate smiled. “ Can I hug you?”, she completed.

“ Of course you can!”, Kate replied and this time, they really hugged each other. There. A friendship bond was created between the two women.

“ Thank you! You know you didn’t have to tell me all of this but I’m grateful you did.”, said Elle, holding hands with Kate.

“ Oh, Elle. We’ll be like sisters. And speaking of which, I need to introduce you to Pippa. You’ll love her.”, said Kate and Elle chuckled, still a bit overwhelmed by the young duchess’s kind gesture. A loud beep was heard and Kate opened the oven to take the lasagna.

“ Elle, could you grab the salad bowl in the fridge for me? Oh and George’s food. It’s on the microwave. I’ve already warmed it. ”, said Kate while holding the lasagna.

“ Of course.”, replied Elle, holding the bowl and the small plate containing George’s food. “ Let’s take these to the dinning room, shall we?”, said Kate.

In the dining room, WIlliam and Harry had already set the table and were currently trying, unsuccessfully, to put George into his high chair. The scene was quite comical; Kate and Elle couldn’t help but laugh at their poor attempts to keep the boy quiet enough to put him there.

“ Oh you’re laughing. Let’s see you do better.”, said Harry to Elle. She looked at Kate as if asking permission and the later nodded to her. Elle put the salad and the dressing on the table and moved towards Harry who was holding a giggling George.

“ Hello Georgie. Look, I brought something very yummy for you to eat. Don’t you want it?”, she said and he squirmed and extended his arms to the small plate in her hands. “ Alright. Then you shall have to seat on your chair, okay?”, she said putting his plate on the table and took him from Harry’s arms. He squirmed a little but as soon as he noted the colour of Elle’s hair and suddenly, he calmed down and took hold of it getting distracted, oblivious about everything else.

Elle then promptly put him on his high chair and set the plate in front if, gently taking her hair off of his hands. George gave her an almost sad look but when he saw his Peter Rabbit plate in front of him he giggled once again. “ There.”, she said to Harry who’s mouth hang wide open. “ What? I’m good with children.”, she stated and William and Kate chuckled.

“ Hm… anyway, how about we open that bottle of wine Elle brought to you?”, suggested Harry, still recovering from the shock. William and Kate shared a knowing look and he said:

“ Kate can’t have the wine, Harry.”

“ Why? Are you ill?”, he asked his sister-in-law. “ No, it’s nothing like that. Quite the contrary, actually.”, replied Kate, containing a smile which Elle caught. _OH! Noooo, it can’t be!,_ thought Elle.

“ We’re going to wait until after dinner to tell you both but, since you won’t rest until you know why she can’t drink I’ll say it already: Kate and I are having another baby.”, said William. The room was silent for a minute before Harry jumped on his brother and sister-in-law almost screaming:

“ CONGRATULATIONS!! God I can’t believe I’m gonna be an uncle again!”, and hugged them. Elle also hugged them, a smile plastered on her face.

“ How far along are you?”, she asked Kate.

“ I’ll be entering my third month in a couple of days.”, said Kate, putting her hands on her belly. It wasn’t very noticeable, but now that she knew, she could see a small bump.

“ What about the HG?”, asked Harry concerned.

“ I has already started but it’s under control now that I know what to expect. And there’s a great medical team helping me with it.”, replied Kate.

“ Good. I hope this time you have a girl. Ha! William will suffer so bad if it’s a girl and she looks just like you, then he’ll be really in trouble…”, said Harry to Kate and she chuckled while William looked unamused.

“ I’m truly very happy for you. You’re wonderful parents and I’m sure this new addition to the family will be as much loved as George is.”, said Elle. " I just have one question: Why did you tell Harry while I’m here? I mean, I’m not family.“, asked Elle.

” Oh Elle, we know you wouldn’t tell anyone and you’re going to be family soon enough so what’s the point in avoiding it? Besides, the palace will announce it in the morning.“, replied William. Elle smiled to them and Kate said:

” Well, now that’s cleared, can we please sit and eat?“

************

After dinner, the couples talked for a while. They shared some stories of their past: Harry and Elle recalled some of their childhood moments, which rendered a good laugh from all of them; William and Kate shared memories of St. Andrews, which made Elle share hers in return. George, who started to get annoyed and sleepy was put to bed by his parents. That was when Harry and Elle decided it was time to leave.

” Thank you so much for having us. And for being so supportive.“, said Elle hugging both William and Kate.

” Oh no, thank you, Elle. I loved to get to know you better. I hope we can do this more often.“, replied Kate.

” Absolutely.“, she replied and moved to say goodbye to William. ” Thank you Will. For everything.“, and they hugged each other.

*************

On the ride back, Elle and Harry talked about their visit. ” So, what did I tell you? She loved you.“, said Harry.

” She did, didn’t she? I liked her very very much. You know, we had a wonderful conversation in the kitchen while you and William were setting the table.“, said Elle.

“Oh did you? About what?”, asked Harry,

“ We did. And she was so comprehensive and kind. I felt so welcomed, Harry. Thank you for doing this.” , she said pulling his head towards hers for a quick kiss.

“ Hmmm… you’re welcomed. But I think I might need a little bit more of that if you want to properly thank me.”, he said, sealing his lips on hers once again.


	20. Chapter Nineteen: A Royal Visit

**Disclaimer:** see Prologue

______________________________________________________

After all the excitement of seeing the Cambridge’s, meeting baby George, the official announcement of Kate’s second pregnancy and the frenzy that followed after its release, Elle calmly resumed her work routine on the following week without much fuzz.

She had a general staff meeting that morning, and found herself seating with the heads of departments, her boss (the Tower’s chief curator) and Dr. Lucy Worsley. _The Royal Visit to the Tower_ , as everyone was calling the event, was on the following day and everyone had to be fully and completely prepared for it. They had been organising it for weeks. So, Dr. Worsley came once again, all the way from Hampton Court Palace in the outskirts of London, to tell them how important this visit was to all of them, how they should all follow the appropriate protocol, and so on.

After seating for almost an hour listening to her boss’s boss talk, Elle was more than happy to leave the conference room.

“ Thank God it’s over.”, said Elle to both Melissa and her intern, Trevor who followed beside her. “ I mean, the woman is fantastic. A wonderful historian, but she talks far too much. She kept going on and on and on about the same thing.”, completed Elle, making Trevor chuckle.

“ True, but who can blame her? I myself am a little nervous about their visit tomorrow. It’s a brief and minor affair, I know, but still, it’s huge for us.”, said Melissa and Trevor nodded vehemently.

“ I’m sure everything will be perfect alright.”, replied Elle, with a reassuring smile as they walked towards their offices.

************

The rest of the day was pretty much uneventful. While Elle and Melissa proceeded with their normal, everyday work and research, last preparations were being made. They were in Melissa’s office, midway over a transcript of one of the 12th century manuscripts they’ve been working on for a few weeks now when Trevor appeared on the room.

“ Excuse me. Elle, there’s a Mr. Daniel Smith here to see you.”, he said to her. She paused her work and looked slightly shocked at her intern.

“ Hm, really?”, she asked and the man nodded. "And, where is he, Trevor?“, she asked.

” He’s waiting in the hall. Do you want me to take him to your office?“, he asked and she shook her head. “No, thank you, Trevor. I’ll fetch him myself.”, she said, and he left the room. Melissa, who so far had been quiet looked at Elle quizzically.

“ Who is he, Elle? Is he one of the linguists you’ve called?”, asked Melissa.

“ No… he’s… he’s Prince Harry’s private secretary.”, she said bluntly and Melissa’s eyes widened, but soon returned to their normal state.

“Oh my! What could he possibly want with you?”, asked Melissa.

“ I don’t know, but I better go and see what this is all about. I’ll be back in a moment.”, she said and Melissa nodded. Walking along the narrow corridor, Elle imagined all the possible scenarios as to why Daniel would call on her at her job. Reaching the waiting room at the end of the hall, Elle saw the tall man stand and greet her with a smile.

“ Daniel, how unexpected to see you.”, she said shaking his hand.

“ Lady Eleanor, or should I say, Dr. McClaire, it’s a pleasure to see you again. I apologise for visiting on such short notice but I felt I needed to speak with you at all costs, before the event tomorrow.”, he said.

“ Yes, yes of course.”, said Elle nodding. “ Shall we go into my office?”, she said and they walked on the same corridor she had been minutes before. Her office was next to Melissa’s but smaller. Due to Elle’s grown research and need for more space, Melissa offered her the room next to hers and Elle was more than eager to accept it. It’s window faced Tower Green; under it, sat a small wooden cabinet, where Elle kept some office supplies. In front of it, facing the door, a medium size old desk, with three metal chairs; beside it, a wooden bookcase that was embedded into the wall; opposite the bookcase, there was a small leather sofa, a tall lamp beside it; and, on the corner of the room, near the door, a birch tea trolley. On the top of it, four mugs and a kettle. Tea and sugar could be found in the shelf underneath it.

“ Please take a seat. May I offer you some tea? Or water perhaps?”, she asked him when they entered the room but he declined. She, one the other hand, turned the kettle on and a few minutes later, brewed herself a cup of Earl Grey. Moving towards her own chair, mug in hand, Elle asked:

“ So, Daniel ,to what exactly do I own the pleasure of your visit? ”. She eyed him as she sipped on her tea, waiting for his reply.

“ I came here just wanted to make sure you are aware of the media exposure you and His Royal Highness will face tomorrow.”, he replied calmly.

“ Yes, we are. We knew from the moment we were seen arriving together at Boujis and that article came out that this would happen. I’m aware, as is Harry, that tomorrow we’ll be watched not only by the press present, but also by the public eye.”, said Elle.

“ Exactly. And I’m sure you and the prince have discussed your role on tomorrow’s event?”, he asked.

“ We did.”, she said and put down her mug. “Daniel, please. I know the drill. You have nothing to be concerned about. We have it under control. This publicity is not our enemy; well, at least not yet. It’s good for us to give the public and the press a peek at our relationship. This way, when we announce it they won’t be too surprised.”, said Elle smiling to him.

“ You both have though about it long and hard haven’t you?”, asked Daniel amused.

“ We have and I’m confident everything will work out just fine, at least for tomorrow. Harry and I know our situation is not ideal but we have to make the best of what we have, don’t we?”, she said.

“ You’re quite right. May I ask one thing?”, he said and Elle nodded.

“ Of course.”, she replied.

“ Does your boss and colleagues know of your involvement with him?”, he asked bluntly.

“ No, they only know I’m close to him and his family. But I’ve made up my mind to tell my boss about it. She ought to know not only because she’s my friend and I trust her, but also because it’ll make things easier for her to understand in the future.”, she replied and Daniel nodded.

“ Yes, I was about to suggest it. I found Dr. Richards to be a very bright and sensible woman.”, said Daniel smiling from the corner of his lips.

“ She is. And you can be absolutely sure that she won’t tell anyone about my relationship with Harry. Well, soon enough everyone will know for sure. They’re already speculating!”, said Elle and Daniel chuckled. _She’s so calm and easy going. I believe Her Majesty might have found the perfect person for her grandson. Oh yes, they’re well matched indeed,_ thought Daniel.

************

That evening, Elle and Harry video skyped each other and kept on talking until the early hours of the morning.

“ So, are you nervous about tomorrow?”, he asked her. Elle was sitting on her bed, dressed in her comfortable pyjamas, her hair pulled up in a messy bun.

“ Not really. I just hope the weather isn’t too windy or rainy. Other than that, I’m not concerned about a thing.”, she replied smiling at him.

“ Well, I am.”, he replied seriously. Elle looked quizzically at him, tipping her head to the side.

“ Why?”, she asked.

“ Because, this is kind of our first event together in front of so many members of both the press and the public and I’m not sure if I’ll be able to keep my eyes off of you… specially if you wear one of those sexy skirts you have…” , he said smirking and she chuckled.

“ Well, you’ll just have to control yourself, Captain.”, she said in a jokingly serious tone.

“ I suppose I’ll have to…”, he replied sighing while Elle let out a giggle. “ And speaking of clothes, what are you wearing tomorrow?”, he asked her.

“ As I said before, you’ll just have to wait and see.”, she said smiling.

“ Oh come on, give me a clue.”, he said and she chuckled.

“ Well, it’s blue.”, she replied smiling.

“ Blue? Alright.”, he said getting up from the chair he was sitting on and moving off camera.

“ Harry? Where are you going?”, she asked as she hear noise coming off camera.

“ I just wanted to make sure I have…. yes!”, Elle heard him saying off camera. Then he returned to the chair and she said:

“ What was that about?”, she asked him.

“ Oh you’ll have to wait till tomorrow!”, Harry said grinning and she rolled her eyes.

************

On the next morning, Elle took extra care with her hair and makeup, making sure she was more than presentable. It was not vanity, it was being prepared. Prepared for the hundreds of people who’d be gathering in the premises of the Tower to get a glimpse of the three young royals (and consequently her, since she’s been linked to them) who would be visiting the ever-growing sea of ceramic poppies at the moat. Her dress was of a navy blue colour, with ¾ sleeves and a scoop neckline. She matched its colour to her set of blue topaz and diamonds necklace and earrings. To finish the look, she pinned her poppy flower brooch on her dress.

Taking a cab instead of the tube, Elle arrived half an hour earlier at work. Of course everyone was already there, putting on the last touches for the imminent royal visit. Apart from the usual staff of the Tower and the growing crowd outside of it, there were also present at the event, representatives from the Army, Navy and Air Force who would be joining all of them for the small ceremony.

At ten to eleven in the morning, Melissa, Elle, the head of the the research and maintenance departments and the officers from the Royal Forces were all lined up at the main entrance of the Tower waiting for the royals to arrive. At eleven on the dot, a black Rolls Royce pulled over and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry emerged from it. Melissa, being the chief curator of the Tower stepped forward to greet them and was greeted back with a warm smile and a handshake from all of them.

“ It’s a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Richards. We’ve heard great things of you”, said William.

“ The pleasure is all mine, Your Royal Highness. May I present my associate researcher and vice-curator of the Tower, Dr. Eleanor McClaire.”, said Melissa and Elle stepped forward.

“ Welcome, Your Royal Highnesses.”, said Elle curtsying and greeting each one of them with a hand shake. When she took Harry’s hand, he squeezed it lightly and gave her an almost unnoticeable smirk, which she corresponded with a small smile from the corner of her lips. Melissa them moved on along the queue, introducing the staff members and the representatives from the armed forces. Once everyone had been greeted, Melissa, Elle, the representatives and the three royals moved to the Tower’s moat. There, they walked among the poppies, with both Melissa and Elle explaining the meaning behind it.

“ … and to remember its centenary, until Remembrance Sunday, 888,246 poppies will be installed here on the moat to represent each British fallen soldier.”, said Elle and Kate wiped away a tear that fell from her eyes. Elle could see that not only her but William and especially Harry were deeply moved by this act of remembrance.

“ It’s wonderful what you did here to remember and pay homage to our heroes.”, said Harry in a somber tone.

Next, they were each handed a ceramic poppy to be installed among the others. William was the first, then Kate and finally Harry. When he was handed his poppy, Elle could see by his expression that a wave of sadness had washed over him.

A moment of silence was made and they all bowed their heads. Harry, as a soldier and a war veteran, had seen first hand the tragedy and fatalities of war, so for him it was almost impossible not to share in the grief for those who had died in the hope of a better world, so that their countries could be safer and the world at peace again.

After they had paid their respects, Melissa, Elle, the representatives and the three royals posed together for a couple of pictures. The army and navy representatives stood next to each other, beside them was Elle. She was next to Harry, who was beside Kate and William. They were next to Melissa, who was beside the air force representative.

Once the photos had been taken, the party moved back to the Tower itself. That was when Harry and Elle walked closely beside each other. As soon as they were out of the reach of the media and the public, he got closer to her and leaned towards her ear.

“ You look amazing, Elle.”, he whispered.

“ Thank you. And I see you’re matching the colour of my dress.”, Elle whispered back and he let out a low chuckle.

“ Of course I did. Do you like it?”, Harry asked her and she nodded, with a small smile on her lips.

“ I do… blue suits you. And, it matches youreyes.”, she replied and he smiled. Soon, William and Kate appeared next to them with smiling faces.

“ Well, I think that went incredibly well. Very professional of you, Elle. And congratulations on your work here. Dr. Richards couldn’t stop praising you.”, said William smiling.

“ She did! And I think she wasn’t being biased. I can see that you really love what you do, Elle.”, continued Kate, smiling.

“ Thank you both very much. I really appreciate it. By the way, how are you?”, asked Elle her.

“ I’m doing much better, thank you. The HG has kicked in but I’ve got a great team of doctors assisting me so, this time it shouldn’t be as bad as it was when I expected George.”, replied Kate with a smile.

“ I’m glad to hear it. If you need anything, let me know.”, said Elle and the woman nodded.

“ I will. Maybe you could visit us sometime.”, said Kate to Elle.

“ That would be wonderful.”, replied Elle and Harry smiled to himself. He was very happy that Elle and his sister-in-law were getting so well. To him, this was another proof that his relationship with Elle was not doomed as they first thought it would be.


	21. Chapter Twenty: Falling Slowly

**Disclaimer:** see Prologue

_____________________________________________________________

Needless to say that the little encounter between Elle, Harry and the Cambridges didn’t go unnoticed by the press. The little smiles they shared here and there once they were leaving the poppy exhibition, and they thought no one had seen, the little smirk shared on their arrival, all of it were photographed by the paparazzi and speculation around them and their possible relationship resurfaced stronger than before.

Elle wasn’t surprised when she saw a new article about her and Harry on the cover of _the Sun_ on her way to work on the next morning. And frankly, she was bothered by it. From now on, she knew this would happen more often; even more so as their relationship progressed. Besides, so far, there had been no intrusive coverage or obnoxious article. And for that, she was very grateful.

On Friday evening, October 17th, Elle found herself getting ready for yet another birthday party. This time, it was of a friend she hadn’t seen since she got back from Scotland: Richard Collins.

Richard and Elle met through her brother and Harry - since he went to Eton with them - but soon, they became good friends. He was the oldest son - having two young siblings: David, who was Elle’s age and Florence, fresh out of university - of Frank Collins, CEO of Collins Communications and Michelle Collins, MD. Some years later, things got even better between them when he started dating one of Elle’s best friends, Mary Kingston. She is the daughter of one of her parents oldest friends: Benjamin Kingston, a Anthropology Professor at the University of Oxford and Lady Julie Kingston, Psychologist, aristocrat and philanthropist, who was her father’s cousin and also her godmother. And now, 3 years later, they were weeks away of becoming husband & wife.

This birthday party was more of a reunion for all of them, really. Just their closest friends, which meant, most of the bridesmaids and groomsmen of the wedding. Ed, Harry and William would be groomsmen. As for Elle, she was to be one of the bridesmaids, alongside Rick’s sister and Harry’s ex girlfriend, Chelsy.

And coming to think about her while she was getting ready, Elle wondered how Chelsy would react to her and Harry being together… They knew each other of course, and got along well but they never spoke much… _I just hope it isn’t too awkward_ , thought Elle.

Once she had settled on a simple look consisting of jeans, shirt and jacket, with black pumps she met Ed on the drawing room and they both headed to Rick & Mary’s home. On the way to the party, they didn’t speak much but Ed asked about the royal visit at the Tower and the article.

“ It was nice. The visit I mean. I liked seeing William and Catherine again. And Harry, well, I’m always glad to see him.”, she said, a smile hanging on the corner of her mouth which made her brother share a tiny smile. “ As for the article, I haven’t read it. I just saw it on my way to the Tower.”, answered Elle.

Richard and Mary’s penthouse was located at Chelsea Harbour, with a spectacular view to it. Arriving there, Ed parked the car and they headed to the lift. Up on the 11th floor, the doors opened and a smily faced Mary greeted them.

“ Elle! How good to see you!”, Mary exclaimed hugging Elle tightly.

“ Ed, hello! Come on in! Rick is by the bar with David, Harry, William and Kate. Florence is already in Wales with Rick’s parents.”, she said and Ed moved straight to it. Elle was about to do the same when Mary caught her gently by the arm.

“ Elle, wait a sec. I just wanted to tell you that I’m very happy for you and Harry.”, Mary told Elle and she looked at her friend a little startled.

“ Thank you…”, Elle replied a little awkwardly.

“No, truly. I don’t know how it took you so long to get together, really. You make a lovely couple.”, she continued, sounding vey genuine, which made Elle smile.

“ Thank you Mary. That means a lot to me.”, said Elle

“ By the way, Chelsy isn’t coming. She and Charlie got held up in Paris at some convention he was participating.”, finished Mary and Elle sighed.

“ Oh… Well, I guess we’ll have to save the awkwardness for the wedding then.”, replied Elle, leaving Mary to chuckled and shook her head at her friend. Walking past the living room, Elle made her way towards the bar. There, she found her brother approaching Richard, who was preparing Margaritas for everyone.

“ Hey, there he is! Come here birthday boy!”, exclaimed her brother. Rick smiled widely and came to embrace Ed.

“ Happy birthday, old man”, said Ed, giving Rick a tight man-hug.

“ Thanks mate.”, replied Rick. Valerie, who had arrived shortly after them, ran to the man then proceeded to greet him as well, receiving a warm thank you from the host. When it was Elle’s turn, his smiled seemed to grow even bigger.

“ Eleanor Alexandra, is that really you?”, exclaimed Rick coming her way and Elle laughed.

“ Why yes, Richard Gregory, ‘tis I.”, she replied chuckling and they embraced.

“ I’ve missed you so much, Rick.”, she said hugging him tightly. Rick was like the mature older brother she never had, for as much as she loved Ed, God knew he was a child trapped in the body of a thirty-year-old.

“ Me too, Little Red, me too.”, he replied. He started to affectionately call her Little Red when they met and never stopped. Once they pulled back, Elle’s eyes were glassy and Rick had a warm, brotherly smile plastered on his face. “ Come, let’s join the others.”, said Richard leading Elle towards the bar where everyone was seated. She saw the smiling faces of William and Kate when she approached the table, greeting her with _hellos_ and _how are yous_ that were politely answered. But once she saw those now familiar grayish blue eyes, following her every move, her course was set towards him.

“ Hi”, Elle said once she stopped beside him, smiling. Harry, who wore a casual jeans and plaid shirt, topped up with a vest, tuned his head to look at her and grinned.

“ Hey…”, he said giving, taking her by the hand and pulling her closer to him, giving her a peck on the lips. “ You look beautiful.”, he continued and she smiled.

“ Thank you. I think I look beautiful too.”, she replied jokingly and he let out a chuckle. “ And you mister, you look very hipster in these clothes, if I say so myself.”, she finished, grabbing a glass of wine that Rick had offered her once they had reached the bar.

“A hipster? Me? Hahaha, that could never, ever happen.” replied Harry and Elle raised an eyebrow to him.

“ I’m just saying…”, said Elle taking a sip of her wine. Harry shook his head and pulled her closer, hugging her by the waist while her body leaned on his. That was when Richard decide to sit beside Harry, between him and William.

“ So, I’ve heard that you and Elle are together now…”, Rick said, putting an arms around Harry’s shoulder, making him loose his grip on Elle’s waist and she pulling slightly away from him.

“ We are”, replied Harry, caressing Elle’s waist while she smiled.

“ Well, you better take good care of her, Wales. Because I’m warning you, Ed’s not the only big brother she’s got and I won’t restate in hunting you down if you so much as dent one bit of her heart.”, finish Rick and a round of laughter rose around them.

“ Don’t worry, mate. I’ll take very good care of her.”, said Harry kissing Elle’s cheek, which earned a chorus of awns from Mary and Kate. Rick nodded his head and starred Harry straight in the eyes before walking towards Mary. She gathered them all up and then there was silence.

“ Well, before we start I just wanted to thank you all for coming here today. Not only to celebrate my soon-to-be husband but also, our imminent wedding.”, said Mary and they all applauded and whistled.

“ To Rick and Mary!”, started Ed exclaiming and raising his glass, and soon after, the others followed him by raising their glasses as well in honour of the couple.

“ Oh, and one more thing, Harry, Elle, I’m thrilled to see you’re both together. But I’d have preferred if you two had come forward with your relationship after my wedding.”, said Mary sternly, but they could see a glint of fun in her eyes. Nevertheless, Elle got a bit worried.

“ Why? What do you mean, Mary?”, asked Elle.

“ The thing is, Little Red, Mary paired you and Harry together as bridesmaid and groomsman in the hope, and I quote, to finally set you up. ”, replied Rick and the room roared in laughter.

“ Oh Mary… only you could plan something like that.”, said Elle chuckling and Rick nodded, gently kissing his soon to be wife in the temple.

************

Later that night, Elle and Harry were lying side by side in wooden lounges in the balcony of the penthouse, Elle with a glass of wine and Harry with a bottle of beer, looking at the Chelsea Harbour lights below them.

“ You know, I’ve always love this view. It’s so calming…”, said Elle and Harry nodded agreeing. They sat together in silence for a few minutes before Harry turned his face towards hers and sighed.

“ Elle?”, asked Harry.

“Hum?”, she replied looking at him. He then took her hand in his and gave her a tiny smile. “ Can I ask you something?”, he said.

“ Of course… anything.”, she replied smiling warmingly at him.

“ Please, don’t be upset or mad, but…”, he paused and rephrased his sentence “ Remember when Mary said she wanted to set us up?”, he asked and Elle nodded.

“ Well, that got me wondering if she’s been planning this for long… if she knew something about your previous relationship.”, he said and she wondered what was the point of this conversation.

“ Elle, were you and Colin unhappy?”., Harry finally asked and Elle looked at him for a moment, taking a deep breath and turning her head away from him, sighing deeply.

“ No. No, we loved each other. Very much so.”, she replied and it was Harry’s turn to look away. “Until very recently, that is.”, she continued and he looked back at her, who was now starring at him.

“ But, when I was finishing my doctorate, and the possibility of coming to work here in London became a reality, we started drifting apart. Nothing major, but I noticed that in the months previous to my return, we sort of fell into a routine… we became comfortable with one another, and dare I say it, grew bored with each other.”, said Elle.

“ Elle, I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have-”, started Harry but Elle raised her hand to dismiss it.

“ I thought that once I moved back to England that maybe some of the romance would return… absence makes the heart grow fonder, they say. And that was what I hoped would happen. But I guess I wrong…”, she continued.

“ You still love him, don’t you?”, he asked, more as a statement than a question.

“ I don’t know… I guess he’ll always have a special place in my heart but I know one thing: I’m not in love with him anymore.” , she replied, standing up and taking a seat on his lounge, giving Harry a smile from the corner of her lips.

“ And, it would seem, that against all efforts and reason, I’m falling for this prince, I’m not sure you know him… ”, said Elle, running her fingertips along his forehead and hair.

“ Oh Really? What’s he like, this prince?”, he says in a lighter mood, his eyes closed as he felt her fingers brushing the hair on his forehead.

“ He’s tall and charming, as a prince ought to be. But he’s also goofy, cheeky, sexy, selfless and brave. A war veteran, you know?”, she said and he smiled while she kept caressing his face. “ Oh and there is a plus, he’s ginger.”, she finished and he laughed.

“ What a coincidence! There’s this girl that I’m falling desperately in love for who’s ginger too!”, he said and it was her turn to laugh. Once they stopped, she leaned over, towards him until their foreheads touched, then finally, kissed him fully on the lips. Sweet and calm, gently brushing her fingers on his cheekbones. And there they stayed, snuggled against each other, beneath a cloudy October sky and the lights of Chelsea’s Harbour.


	22. Chapter Twenty-One: Let the Choir Bells Ring - Part One

**Disclaimer:** see Prologue

_______________________________________________________________

Leaving Richard’s birthday party was a bit of a challenge. Ed, who was far too drunk to drive, had passed out and was lying on the sofa.

“ I can take you home, Elle.“, said Harry. Elle opened her mouth to protest but he silenced her.

” There’s no trouble at all. Ed won’t wake up until mid afternoon tomorrow and you know it.”, said Harry smiling and Elle sighed nodding her head. Will and Kate had already gone, leaving around midnight and the other people had also taken off. In the end, it was just her and Harry who were left behind.

“ Elle, go with him. And don’t worry, we’ll take care of Ed. It’s not like it’s the first time I’ve done it for him.”, replied Rick smiling jokingly.

“ Well, what say you, milady? Shall we?”, asked Harry mockingly, making Elle chuckle.

“ Alright, alright. But are you sure you can handle him? He’s an arse when he’s hungover.”, she said and Rick chuckled. “ Oh believe me, I’ve handled worse. Ed will be a piece of cake.”, he replied, smiling reassuring her.

“ Okay then. Come on, Captain. Let’s go.” said Elle and Harry smiled. Turning to Rick and Mary, she smiled and hugged each one of them.

“ Everything was wonderful, Mary. And I can’t wait to see you next week.”, she said hugging Mary, who grinned at her. “ I loved seeing you again, Rick. And thank you for taking care of my irresponsible older brother.”, she said.

“ Don’t mention it. And thank you for being here tonight, Little Red. I’ve missed your company.”, he replied whilst hugging her tightly to him. Harry watched with Mary their interaction and let out a tiny smile. It was clear that they both had a deeply affection for one another. Rick was truly like another brother to Elle, and she like another little sister to him. With a smiled on his face, Harry said his goodbyes to the couple and off they went. Once they reached ground floor and the lift opened, Leo came walking very fast towards them, looking a little agitated.

” Sir, ma’am, we’ve got a bit of a situation.“, he said and the couple looked at each other then beyond the lobby door to the crowd of paparazzi that awaited them outside the building.

“ We’ve brought the car as closer as we could to the entrance sir, but I’m afraid you’ll have to walk for a short while.”, said John coming into the lobby, looking a little flustered.

Harry looked to Elle and she nodded, giving him a little squeeze in his hand as if saying it’s fine, we can do this. “That’s alright, John. Thank you.”, said Harry and his RPO’s nodded. The men walked ahead of them, opening the doors and trying to block some of the media from their path but, as soon as Harry and Elle stepped out of the building, a mass of flashed buzzed in their faces. Just keep it together, it will be over soon, Elle kept telling herself. They walked together, his hand resting on the small of her back, leading her on.

“Harry, Harry! Are you both dating!? Does Cressida know you’ve replace her so soon?”, shouted one paparazzi. " Lady Eleanor! Eleanor! Over here!“, shouted another.

“Just a few more steps, Elle.”, whispered Harry to her once he saw the car, which was parked just around the corner from where they were. John and Leo made a barrier around them, then opened the car doors for them, rushing the couple into the vehicle. As soon as they were in a safe distance from the paparazzi, Elle let out a breath, looked at Harry and they chuckled.

“ I guess this means it has began?” , said Elle. Harry smiled softly and runs his hand on her cheek. “ Oh yes, it has definitely began…”, he replies nodding.

************

One Friday afternoon, just a little over half past noon, Elle, Ed and Valerie began their journey to Wales. They packed their bags into the car and off they went to Chepstow for Richard and Mary’s final wedding rehearsal and the wedding itself.

“ It’s a lovely idea isn’t? Having a small, modest wedding, far away from the city… more so, since they’re getting married in a 12th-old-century village church.”, said Elle smiling.

“ Well, I don’t think neither Rick’s father or auntie Julie enjoyed the idea of them marrying in an old church in the middle of Wales, with a reception for a few more than a hundred people.”, replied Ed and Elle nodded. “ Of course, there was nothing they could do to stop them. They were completely free to choose what they wanted in every aspect of their wedding. You, on the other hand, dear sister, will have to oblige on the big, full- parade, bells and whistles, wedding.”, he finished smirking. She knew he was only teasing her but the idea of a wedding for fifty hundred people and half of the world’s population watching it was terrifying nonetheless.

“ Harry and I won’t have much of a choice, will we? It is the British Royal Family, after all. They don’t do things on a small scale.”, replied Elle.

“ Well I think it’s very romantic either way.”, replied Valerie and Elle smiled at her in gratitude.

After a two-hour drive, they finally reached Chepstow, a small town in Monmouthshire, Wales. It’s famous for its port, who dates from the Middle Ages and its castle, who was built under the Norman Conquest. Getting off from the town itself, they drove for a little while longer until they arrived at their destination: St. Pierre Manor House, now converted into a Marriott Hotel and Country Club. They’d booked the entered venue for the wedding so that all one hundred guests, plus band members and extra people, could spend the night after the wedding and reception.

The ceremony would take place at St. Pierre’s 11th century church, on the grounds of the hotel while the reception was being prepared inside of it, in one of its main halls. Elle, Ed and Valerie drove along the tree-lined road that led to the Manor house, observing its architecture and beauty. Upon their arrival, they saw Mary, whom Elle had texted earlier, at the front of the hotel waiting to greet them.

” Elle,Ed, Val! How are you? How was the journey?“, asked Mary, giving them all each a kiss on the cheek.

” It was good…but I’m dying for a hot bath.“, said Elle and Mary chuckled. ” Well let’s get you all checked-in then.“, completed Mary and Elle smiled, following her to the reception.

” Where’s Rick? I thought he’d already be here.“, asked Elle, while they walked into the foyer.

“ Oh he is.”, replied Mary. “ He’s in another room talking to David, Will and Harry. They’re planning somethings for his stag party later tonight. He mentioned something about going to town to get a few drinks in some weird place called ‘The Bull’s Horn’. or whatever that means.”, said Mary chuckling.

“ Really? I can’t imagine Richard in a place called ‘The Bull’s Horn’ it must have been David’s idea. Or Harry’s…”, said Elle chuckling. “ What about you? I thought you’d be running around sorting the last minute details.”, asked Elle.

“ Oh no, I leave that to my mother. Apparently, the table settings were not to her liking, especially with royalty here. Not that Harry minds of course.“, she replied and Elle nodded. ” She’s hunting down the hotel’s wedding planner to fix it. She’s making a fuss for nothing, really. But you all know how she is and frankly, I’m glad she has something to occupy herself with.”, said Mary and Elle chuckled.

“ Oh, and what about your hen party? What are we doing tonight? Does Jackie have something in mind?”, asked Valerie.

“ Oh, you know my cousin, she’s always looking for a party. But I’ve managed to persuaded her into heading down to the spa and have some champagne, a little massage … and she was game. Since I’m the bride, I get some privileges and you as my bridesmaids are an extension of them. So, what do say?”, asked Mary.

“ I think it’s a fantastic idea. I can’t wait for it. And… speaking of bridesmaids, is Chelsy here?”, asked Elle a little tense.

“ She is. I think she and Charlie are settling in as we speak.”, replied Mary.

“Good, good. I guess I’ll see her in a few minutes then.”, said Elle nodding nervously, walking towards the lift after she was handed over her keycard.

“ Yes, and don’t forget we’re meeting here in the lobby for the church rehearsal in an hour!”, said Mary, as she watched Elle walk into the lift.

************

After settling into her room and hanging her dress for that night and her bridesmaids’ dress, Elle filled the bathtub, crumbled a Lush lavender-scented bubbled bar into the water and let all the dust and stress wash away from her. She stayed soaking in the hot water for at least 15 minuted, relaxing and letting all the stress go. Once she was done, she dressed in casual clothes, and headed to the lobby. She got on the lift and to her surprise who she finds already there? Chelsy.

“ Chelsy! Umm… Hi!”, said Elle a bit nervous. Chelsy on the other hand was completely calm and all smiles.

“ Hey Elle? How have you been?”, Chelsy replied and gave her a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek.

“ I’ve been great, thank you… Oh and I’ve heard about your engagement to Charlie. Congratulations.”, said Elle with a small smile.

“ Thank you.“, she replied and they both fell silent. After a minute or so, she continued. ” Listen Elle, let me get to the point here before this gets even more awkward. I know that you and Harry are dating. He told me. So there’s no need to hide it or to be guarded about the subject around me.”, said Chelsy

“ He did?”, asked a surprised Elle and Chelsy nodded. “ Yes, he did. And just so you know, I’m totally cool with it. And why wouldn’t I be? We haven’t been together since 2011. Besides, I’ve know you for years… you’re my friend! Grated, we’re not that close but I know the kind of person you are; And I give you both my full, wholeheartedly support. But, just take care of him okay? I may not love him anymore but he’ll always have a special place in my heart.”, said Chelsy just as the doors opened on the lobby. Elle was completely baffled about what she had just head and all she could manage was just a nod.

“ Oh and Elle?“, said Chelsy when they were heading to the small group of people waiting in the lobby.

“Yes?”, asked Elle, halting close to the woman.

“ Just because the royal life wasn’t for me it doesn’t mean it isn’t for you. ”, finished Chelsy smiling and heading towards Charlie, who greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. Elle stared at them for a while and let out a small smile. Well that was easy, she thought. She then moved to where her brother, Valerie, Harry, Will and Kate were seating together and greeted them with a smile.

“ Hey everyone.”, said Elle and Harry’s eyes lighten up at the sight of her.

“ Hey you.”, he said, getting up from the couch he was sitting on and going towards her, planting a kiss on her cheek. “ Are you ready to walk down the aisle with me?”, he asked jokingly and she laughed. God, how I love her laugh, thought Harry.

************

After the church rehearsal, in which both Mary’s and Rick’s mothers cried, they all went their separate ways to change for dinner. Elle dressed in a purple ¾ sleeve dress, with beige pumps. She left her hair down, in small waves. Once she got into the dinning room, she met Harry and they went to their place on the table, which was in front of each other. Soon enough everyone was seated and the food was served. However, before they could start eating, David, Rick’s younger brother got up and requested everyone’s attention.

“ First of all, thank you for being here tonight. You’re all very special people to this amazing couple and to our families.”, he said pointing to Rick and Mary. “ Before we eat, I wanted to say a few things. Rick, you’ve been my role model since I could walk and I tell you this, once I saw you with Mary I knew that one day you’d marry her.” he said and some people chuckled, including Elle.

” No, seriously. The look you had in your face when you first introduced her to mum and dad… we all could see how much you just, adored her. And Mary, you are one the kinder, smarter, most wonderful women I’ve met in my life.“, he said and Mary blushed. ” I’ve seen women treat Rick like garbage all his life and then, you came along and gave him what he was waiting for: a real partner for life. Someone who could love him with all their heart, someone he could share his life with. I’m very happy that you’ve chosen each other and more so, to be able to call you my sister from tomorrow on. So guys, congratulations and may you live a happy life. To Rick and Mary!”, he finished his speech, lifting his glass of champagne in honour of the couple and everyone did the same.

The remaining of the dinner progressed as any rehearsal dinner would: with the bride and groom being more than cute to each other, people eating and talking, drinking and laughing. At ten, dinner was over and Rick and Mary’s parents retired to bed. As for the rest of them, it was time to begin the other events of the night.

“ So, what are you guys doing for Mary’s hen party?”, asked Ed curiously.

“ Oh, I don’t know. But Jackie mentioned some goo goo boys…”, lied Elle jokingly and Ed looked and her wide-eyed. “ I’m kidding, Ed.“, she said after a moment and giggled, while he sighed and shook his head. ” Truthfully, I don’t really know but I reckon it’ll be very girly… and it involves a lot of champagne.”, she continued.

“ Well, good for you guys. The lads and I are heading to town for a few drinks.”, said Ed smiling and Elle sighed.

“ Please, don’t drink too much. You don’t wanna repeat what happened last week.”, said Elle motherly.

“ Oh I’ve learnt my lesson, dear sister.”, replied Ed nodding.

“ And I’ll make sure he doesn’t. ”, said Harry appearing beside her with a grin on his face.

“ Well you better, or else…”, said Elle and he chuckled. “ Aye, aye ma’am.”, he replied, making a military salute to her.

“ See you tomorrow, then.”, said Harry, giving her a peck on the lips. “ See ya sis.”, said Ed, pulling Harry towards the awaiting group of men near the lobby’s main door.

Once they were gone, Elle got back to her room and put her bikini and a comfortable set of yoga pants and t-shirt to meet the girls at the spa. There she found Mary, Florence, Chelsy and Valerie. Mary’s cousin and made of honour, Jackie was bringing some movies for them to watch later. The girls were already getting their massages, facials and relaxing baths. Only Kate was missing from the group.

“ Hey girls. Reading for some pampering?”, she asked them and a resounding cheer came as a reply.

“ Oh yes, I was in such a need of a massage.”, replied Florence from the massaging table.

“ Does anyone know where Kate is?”, Elle asked. Chelsy looked over to her from the plushy lounger she was lying on and said:

“ I guess she wasn’t feeling so well…”. Elle thought for a moment and concluded that it must have been something related to HG.

“ I’ll check to see if she’s okay. I’ll be back in moment.”, she said and headed back to her floor. She knew that she, Valerie, her brother, Harry and Will and Kate were on the same floor; so she walked to Kate’s room and knocked softly on the door.

“ Kate? Are you in there?”, she asked. After a few minutes she heard the lock and a tired looking Kate opened the door.

“ Hey Elle. Please, come on in.”, said Kate and Elle thanked her and entered the room. “ I went to see how you were. Chelsy said you weren’t feeling so well.”, said Elle.

“ It’s just the HG. I’m fine now, though. Thank you for checking on me William was so worried and felt so guilt for leaving me alone but I told him it was fine.”, said Kate seating on the bed. “ I guess I just need to rest for a while now.”, she finished

“ Do you want me to say with you? Or maybe come downstairs to the spa with us? Or even I could bring you something…?”, asked Elle and Kate smiled.

“ Oh you’re at the spa? I could use some me time… maybe get a good massage on my legs… God knows how swollen they are from both the pregnancy and these heels.”, she replied and Elle chuckled. Kate’s mood seemed to brighten up a bit. After a few minutes, the woman looked better and she said smiling at Elle:

“ Oh alright, I’ll come. Just wait ‘til I change. ”, she said moving to the bathroom. Once she was ready, dressed in a similar manner to Elle’s, they went to the spa.

“ Oh look who’s feeling better! Come on Kate! Join us here!”, said Mary from the jacuzzi as she spotted the two women coming into the room. Kate smiled at her but headed to the massage table instead. Elle followed her and laid on the one beside hers. A waiter handed Elle a glass of champagne when the masseuse started rubbing her feet and legs. Now this is what I call life, thought Elle, closing her eyes and sipping on her drink.


	23. Chapter Twenty-Two: Let the Choir Bells Ring - Part Two

**Disclaimer:** see Prologue

_______________________________________________________________

Early in the morning when Elle woke up, she received a call from her parents about the wedding. They told her they’d be arriving later on for the ceremony and the reception but wouldn’t stay for the party itself. Oh well, she thought shrugging her shoulders.

At eight in the morning, all bridesmaids and the maid of honour gathered at Mary’s suite to get ready for the wedding together. Their dresses and make up were very clean and natural, just as Mary’s wedding dress. The women agreed on styling their hair on the same way: a side braid that would fall on the opposite shoulder to the dress’ sleeve. Jackie, the maid of honour’s dress was one shoulder, dark green dress while the bridesmaids, Elle included, was of a lighter green tone. The whole concept of the ceremony and reception was a reflection of who Mary and Richard were: simple people, who didn’t need a grand affair. Elle was chatting with Florence, who was seating beside her finishing her make up when Elle’s mobile buzzed, warning her about a new text message.

> _Morning beautiful. The lads and I are heading to the church. How’s Mary holding up? I hope she’s better than Rick. I’ve never seen him so anxious in my entire life! How are you? Feeling okay? See you soon._
> 
> _x H_

Elle smiled at the message and Florence could her as she replied to him. “ Awn is that from Harry?”, asked Florence grinning. Elle nodded smiling. “ It is. He said the boys are heading to the church now.”, replied Elle with a small smile from the corner of her lips.

“ You know I ship you guys right?”, she said and Elle chuckled. “ What? It’s true. Did you know that you are starting to have your own fan club? ”, said Florence excitedly. Elle looked in a mix of incredulity and fear at the younger woman.

“ I didn’t know that.“, said Elle cautiously. ” And I think we should get dressed or else we’ll be late.”, she continued changing the subject and Florence humphed. “ You’re no fun.”, said the younger woman.

Twenty minutes later, they were all ready to go. Mary’s mother was with them in the room while Mary’s father waited for them at the adjoining room along with the photographer. Her dress was a long, ivory A-line tulle dress, with lace and gemstones embroidery, finished with a crew neck bodice and organza floral appliqués. On hear head, her mother’s 17th century diamond bandeau, adorned her hair; her chapel veil was of fine tulle with floral appliqués on the edges.

“ I know it’s very cliché to say it, but you look so beautiful, Mary.”, said Chelsy and the bride smiled. Elle could tell that Mary was nervous but it was that good kind of nervous; the one you get when you’re excited about something. Mary’s mother, Lady Julie, who was standing in front of her, couldn’t contain her happiness and a couple of stray tears ran down her eyes.

“ Oh my darling, beautiful baby girl is getting married today.”, said Julie approaching Mary. “ You cannot even imagine how happy and proud of the woman you’ve become I am.”, she continued, adjusting Mary’s veil. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

“ Can I come in?”, asked Mary’s father, Dr. Benjamin Kingston. Upon seeing his daughter, his eyes teares up and he smiled.

“ My, my look at you! Dressed like a princess from a fairy tale.”, he said, kissing her hand and holding them into his.

“ You’re stunning, my dearest. Richard is indeed a very, very lucky man to have you. You deserve all the happiness in this world, my darling. You both do. ”, he finished smiling, as did Mary, now also teary eyed.

” I’m sorry everyone, but it’s time.”, said Jackie interrupting the moment. “ Of course, we wouldn’t want to let my brother waiting now, would we?”, joked Florence.

************

Elle and the other bridesmaids arrived at the church ten minutes before the bride. Harry and the other groomsmen were already waiting for them at the entrance. Smiling at her partner, Elle walked over to Harry and the wedding planner organised them into their pairs for the procession.

“ You look very beautiful.”, Harry whispered to her as they waited to enter the church. Then the doors opened, and the coupled walked along the narrow aisle towards the awaiting groom. A few minutes later, the doors opened once again to reveal the bride. People gasped and looked awed as Mary walked down the aisle, smiling and glowing with happiness.

Harry and Elle kept sharing glances and secret smiles throughout the ceremony. “Stop it.”, she’d mouth at him and he’d smirk at her. Once it was over, they once again, walked down the aisle together, this time, behind the smiling happy couple.

“ I know I shouldn’t say this, but I think you’re the most beautiful woman here.”, he whispered to her as they walked behind David and Florence and Elle chuckled, shooking her head.

“ Well, thank you. I really like your tie. Do I see a rabbit pattern in it or is it just my imagination?”, she asked and he chuckled, nodding. “ I think it brings a wow factor to the whole suit, don’t you think?.”, he said smirking and she shook her head.

“ Come on, Captain. We have a photo-shoot to attend to.”, said Elle once they step outside the church. The photographer took a series of photos of Mary and Richard, as well as of the bridesmaids and groomsmen.

“ Look, my parents are waiting over there.”, she said to Harry as she spotted her parents in the crowd and they moved towards them, who had just finished congratulating Julie and Benjamin. Victoria was dressed in purple, knee right dress with a matching hat while Rupert wore his dark grey morning suit, with a purple tie to match his wife’s dress.

“Hello my darling! And Harry, look at you! So dashing that suit! ”, said her mother, giving them each a kiss on the cheek. Her father smiled at her and gave her a kiss on the temple.

“ My dearest, you look very beautiful.”, he said.

“ Thank you, papa. How was the trip?”, she asked them and her mother sighed.

” Long. And your father is insisting on going back to Woodenford today. I don’t know why he wants to get back so soon…”, she paused making a funny face which made Elle chuckle. Her father, wanting a change on the subject, turned to Harry to greet him.

“Harry, my boy! How’ve been? I heard of your developments with the armed forces. Impressive work. Truly impressive.”, he said, asking Harry and shaking his hand.

“ Very good sir and thank you. But it’s nothing more than what they deserve. I’m just doing my job, really. ”, he replied and Elle smiled. “ How about you, sir? How have you been?”, Harry asked Rupert.

“ Oh the same as always… busy.”, replied Rupert and Harry chuckled. “ And speaking of being busy… my darling, we better greet the bride and groom, for we’re leaving in a short while.”, he said to Victoria who sighed.

“ So soon, papa?”, said Ed, who had just appeared beside them. “ Yes, unfortunately, I have some paper work to analyse that cannot wait, my son.”, replied Rupert and Ed nodded understandably. Then the couple turned to the three youngsters, bid them goodbye and headed to were Mary and Richard, along with their parents, were.

“ Well, who wants some champagne?”, asked Ed, making the couple shook his head and chuckle.

************

Later in the evening, bride and groom had changed their clothes into more comfortable outfits. Women had changed their hells for flats and men had loosen their ties and no longer wore neither vests or coats. Elle, Harry, William, Kate, Ed and Valerie all sat together at a table on the more reserved corner of the room. Candles of different sizes, along with white tulips and green floral centerpieces gave an etherial air to the the room.

The reception was beautiful. David and Jackie gave heartfelt speeches about Richard and Mary. Then their parents also gave each one speech, with tears from both Mary’s and Richard’s mothers. Then, it was time for Richard and Mary each gave their own speeches to one another.

“… and finally, I believe there’s one person here who was particularly important to our relationship and that deserves our thanks. That’s you Elle.”, said Rick while Mary smiled at her. Elle looked at him wide-eyed, not knowing how to respond to that. “ Yes, Elle knew Mary long before she knew me, and, some years after we became friends, she introduced me to this wonderful friend of hers, whose passion and kindness overwhelmed me. And I knew, from that moment on, that I was bound to be with her. And here we are, six years later, celebrating our wedding. So thank you Elle, for everything.”, finished Rick and Elle smiled, tears forming in her eyes as she stood up and made her way to the main table were bride and groom were seated. She approached them, a huge smiled plastered on her face.

“ You are the most wonderful, compassionate, ridiculously good-looking couple I’ve ever met, and you deserve all of the most fantastic things in this world. I wish you both the happiest of lives.”, she whispered to them as she hugged them.

After the speeches, the first notes of _The Way You Look Tonight_ sounded and Mary and Rick headed to the dance floor for their first dance. Elle smiled at the sight. They were so in love, so wonderful together. Then, she turned to look at the man seating beside her. Harry was looking at the dancing couple with a small smile on the corner of his lips. _Maybe we could be just like them…_ thought Elle, as Harry suddenly turned and caught her eye and smiled at her. After dinner was served, Kate let out a small yawn and Elle and Valerie smiled at her.

“ Well, I think we’re going to retire for the evening. Mum and baby need their sleep.”, said William standing up, extending his hand to Kate, who took it and smiled fondly at him. They said their goodbyes and headed to their room. A few moments after they had left the table, a soft ballad started and Elle saw couples gathering on dance floor.

“ Dance with me?” , whispered Harry to her, extending his hand to her. She smiled at him, taking hold of his hand. “ Of course. Always.”, Elle replied. Hand in hand, they stepped into the dance floor among the other couples. His hands found his way to the small of her back while hers lingered on his neck; their faces inches from each other.

_There’s a thousand ways for things to fall apart,_

_but it’s no ones fault, no it’s not my fault._

_Maybe all the plans we made might not work out,_

_but I have no doubt, even though it’s hard to see._

_I’ve got faith in us, and I believe in you and me._

“ You know…”, she started. “Mhm…”, he murmured. “ I’m trying really hard not to kiss you right here, right now Wales. But with you holding me this close, it’s getting harder and harder to resist…”, said Elle looking up into Harry’s eyes.

“ Well then, maybe you should just kiss me. Because I know I’m dying to kiss you too.”, he replied smiling sweetly at her. Elle didn’t need to think twice. She pulled him closer to her by the neck and kissed him gently, softly, following the rhythm of the melody surrounding them. The whole atmosphere of the place made it easier for Harry and Elle to stay there in their own little bubble, forgetting all about everyone else beside them.

_So hold on to me tight._

_Hold on, I promise it will be alright._

_Cuz it’s you and me together,_

_and baby all we’ve got is time._

_So hold on to me,_

_hold on to me tonight._


	24. Chapter Twenty-Three: Yes, we're going to a party, party!

**Disclaimer:** see Prologue

______________________________________________________

The week after Mary and Rick’s wedding brought a new sense to Harry and Elle’s relationship. They grew more comfortable around each other, joked more often and of course, snogged much, much more than they used to. He would come over by her house in the evening of every other day or so, and they’d watch some movies, eating popcorn and ice cream, snuggled against each other in the living room’s sofa.

Today was one of those days. Harry and Elle were on the couch, his arms laced around her, as she leaned closer to him with her head resting on his chest; they were watching The Count of Monte Cristo. Not the old versions, the most recent one, with Jim Caviezel and Guy Pearce, one of Elle’s favourites. They were almost at the end of it, watching the final ‘battle’ between Dantés and Mondego. Once the movie was over, Elle removed her head from Harry’s chest and stretched her arms.

“ Did you like it?” she asked him, turning her head to face him. “ I did… specially the whole revenge plan he come up with.”, said Harry smiling.

“ It’s great, isn’t? You know…”, she started. “ Mhm…”, murmured Harry eyeing her. “ I’ve always hated movie adaptations that change main aspects from the novel, but with this one, I don’t seem to mind…”, finished Elle.

“ And why is that?”, he asked quizzically. “ Have you read the novel?”, she asked him and he shook his head. “ Well, in the novel Albert is not Mercedes and Dantés’ son and they don’t stay together in the end. But in this movie, I get to have my fairy-tale version of the story, where the good guy finishes the story with the girl he loves and their son.”, she finished explaining and Harry chuckled.

“ What? I like happy endings, okay? ”, said Eleanor pouting and he put his hands up. “Alright, alright, Ms.Hopeless Romantic.”, he said pulling her closer to him.

“ You look so cute when you pout.”, he said, cupping her cheek and leaning in to kiss her. When they pulled back, she sighed and smiled gently at him.

“ So, change on the subject. Is everything ready for your birthday?”, he asked her.

“ I believe so, yes. I’ll just have to see the final decoration arrangements tomorrow and everything will be ready.”, she said, still cuddled in his arms.

“ Do you need any help? I can come with you, if you want me to?”, he asked and she smiled softly to him, but shook her head. “ There’s no need, darling. Besides, I want to see your reaction at the party itself. If you come with me tomorrow, it will spoil the surprise.”, she said and he chuckled.

“ Well, I can’t wait for it. And speaking of tomorrow, I think I should be going. I have to go with your father to another Parliament session in the morning.”, he said sighing, caressing her cheek, “ But, before I go…”, he continued, leaning in then bringing her lips to meet his and kissed her fully. “ There. Now I can go.”, he said and she smiled brightly at him.

************

On the next day, Harry awaited patiently for Rupert’s car to come pick him up. Apart from the normal arrangement between himself and Elle, he was also to attend a few Parliament sessions with Elle’s father, who was the current Advocate General for Scotland on Her Majesty’s behalf. Of course, nowadays the House of Lords didn’t hold as much power and obligations as before; now that fell into the hands of the House of Commons. But still, there a few things that had be discussed by the lords and ladies of the house.

Like on the previous times he went there, Harry was debriefed on the topics to be discussed at the session; Daniel had given him the general idea of the politics behind each one of them and its consequences. The car soon pulled through the gates of Clarence House and came to a full stop in front of the main door, where Harry and Daniel awaited.

“ Have a good day, sir. I’ll see you in the afternoon.”, said Daniel opening the door for Harry.

“ Thank you, Daniel. See you later.”, he replied getting in. He was greeted by Peter, the chauffeur with a nod.

“ Oh hello Harry! How are you this morning?”, said Rupert smiling at him, whilst pulling away his newspaper to look at the younger man. “ Fantastic, sir. And yourself?”, said Harry.

“ Good, good. Tell me, do you have any question for me before we arrive for this session?”, asked Rupert, sipping on his travel mug of tea that was previously seating on the cup holder. “Just one. How much do we know about this so called ‘Freedom Movement’? I saw its relations with the protests in Scotland after the referendum, on the agenda for this session.”, he asked. Rupert seemed to ponder his answer for a while.

“ Well, to be perfectly honest with you, we know next to nothing about them. We know how they organise themselves, how they act but… that’s about it. I mean, the MI6 is doing their best to track them down, of course, but they have a very complex network of associations in different countries. But they just can’t seems to pin-point where their leaders are because of it. I only know about this because I’m directly involved in the matter, but the House of Lords has no access to this kind of information.”, Rupert told Harry, who looked troubled at the man before him.

“ I won’t lie to you, Harry. I am worried. But until they’re proven guilty of causing the riots here in the UK, there’s nothing we can do about it. And that’s what frustrates me the most. ” , confessed Rupert. Their conversation was cut short as they entered the Palace of Westminster and Peter parked the car. They got off, and headed to the building in front of them. The walked side by side on the long corridor that separated both houses. The House of Lords was grander and more refined than the House of Commons; Its seats were of red leather instead of green and traces of the once glorious office decorated its walls. After greeting some peers, Rupert led the way to their seats and Harry sat beside him; he was there only to listen and so he did.

“ Now, on the matter of the rises of the Freedom Movement in Scotland, I give the word to His Grace, the Duke of Wiltshire, Her Majesty’s Advocate General for Scotland and member of the Conservative Party.”, said the Lord Speaker.

“ Thank you, Lord Speaker.”, said Rupert standing up. “Members of the House, as you know, there’s been rumours that the riots in parts of Scotland after the referendum were being organised by the Freedom Movement.”, he said and whispers were heard among the MPs. “ So far we haven’t had any confirmation on the subject, however, I am told the secret service is on the look out for anything that might lead us to their whereabouts. In the meantime, I urge you all, lords and ladies of the House, to trade very carefully on matters regarding this radical group. Thank you.” more whispers were heard.

“ Thank you, Your Grace.”, said the Lord Speaker and Rupert sat down beside Harry. Two hours later, the session finished and they made their way back to the car park. Peter was there to pick them up.

“ Rupert, what you said about the Freedom Movement earlier, when you told them to be cautious… tell me, are you in any danger?” , asked Harry once their were in the car.

“ My office has received some emails… some more threatening than others but nothing too serious. They’re being traced of course…”, replied Rupert seriously. “ But I… no, I don’t believe neither myself or my family are in true danger, Harry.”, he finished and Harry sighed. This was not exactly the answer he was hoping for…

************

November finally came and Elle’s birthday with it. This was the first birthday she would spend it in London since she went to St. Andrew’s for her studies. On the 5th, she’d be celebrating her 27th birthday in grand style. She and Valerie organised a 1920’s/Gatsby party at the Ballroom of Claridge’s Hotel.

The place itself had designs from Guy Oliver that echoed the original 1920’s decor of the building: white walls, with hand engraved mirrors and beautiful crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling… it’d be perfect for her birthday party. By mid afternoon, Elle an Valerie had seen to all the last details and had gone to the salon to get pampered and ready for the party.

“ So, how’s everything with you and Harry?”, asked Valerie to Elle while they were getting their nails done.

“ It’s surprisingly going great… I mean, not that I didn’t think we’d eventually be great together but I never thought we’d get so close in so little time. And I think I’ve successfully got over Colin.”, replied Elle.

“ I’m happy for you! It was high time you got over him, if I may say so.”, said Valerie and Elle smiled.

“ I agree. He didn’t even deserve my tears after the way he broke up with me. I say goodbye and good riddance.”, said Elle and Valerie cheered her.

“Brava! That’s my girl!”, exclaimed Valerie and they laughed.

After a couple of hours, they both had their hairs pinned up; jewellery and dresses in the style that complemented the era of the party. Elle called Peter and he came to pick them up and take them to the hotel. Valerie was wearing a navy blue sequin dress with a matching hair piece while Elle wore a soft pink dress, bejewelled with pears and crystals. Both dresses were sleeveless and were costume made, based on the 1920s.

They arrived at a quarter past seven in the evening at the Claridge’s. Some paparazzi were lined up at the door, waiting for the illustrious guests to arrive. Being the hostess, Elle had to be there before anyone else. Peter stopped the car and came to open the door for them. The sound and the light of flashes followed them as they made their way inside the hotel.

“ Eleanor! Eleanor! Look over here!”, shouted one paparazzo as they walked through the glass doors of the hotel.

“ Ah, good evening, Lady Eleanor! And may I wish you a very happy birthday!”, said Mr. Rudwell, the manager at Claridge’s. “ Lady Valerie, how very good to see you again.”, he said facing her and kissing her hand. Please, follow me.“, he finished. They promptly followed him to the ballroom were the party would be taking place. When he opened the doors, Elle’s mouth hang opened.

” It’s magnificent! “, she exclaimed. Seeing it on daylight had already been fantastic but now with the whole set it truly looked like they were in the 1920s.

Soon after, the guests started to arrive. A couple of friends from St. Andrew’s had come together; her parents with her brother, Chelsy and her fiancé; Richard and Mary who has just returned from their honeymoon came; William and Kate also came, apologising in advance for not being able to stay long; Bea and Genie arrived soon after them with their boyfriends. The only person who was missing was Harry. Elle, who felt overwhelmed by the number of people that she suddenly felt the need to take a break. Walking over to the set up bar, she grabbed a champagne saucer, took a sip and looked at the clock on the wall. _9.30.pm; Where is he!?_ , she thought and sighed taking another sip of her champagne. Suddenly, she felt hands covering her eyes.

” Guess who?“, said a husky voice in her ear. She felt chills running down her spine and took the hands off her eyes, putting them in her own and tuned smiling at the person behind her. Dressed in a black tuxedo, pocket watch and bow tie, Harry looked the epitome of a 1920s man. Tall, charming, elegant and handsome.

” I was beginning to think you wouldn’t come…“, said Elle. Harry smirked at her.

” And miss your birthday? Never.“, he said. Scanning her from head to toe, he let out a low whistle and continued:

” My, you’re a vision, milady.“ Elle chuckled and slapped his arm gently. ” What made you late?“, she asked

” Oh, I just got a little delayed with some last minute arrangements for one of your birthday presents.“, he said smirking.

” Presents? As in plural?“, she asked and he smiled. ” Why yes. The second present is a surprise but the first one…“, he then took a rectangular velvet black box from his pocket. ” Is here. Happy birthday, Elle.“, he finished. She took the box in her hands and looked at him quizzically. Pulling the ribbon, she carefully opened the box and was stunned and moved by the sight of it.

” Harry… I don’t know what to say…“, started Elle. A silver necklace with a round crystal pendant. Inside of it, tiny blue flowers that shimmered as the light passed through the clear crystal.

” They are forget-me-nots. I had it made it for you so you don’t ever forget about me.“, said Harry, cheekily. Forget-me-nots were not only the logo of Sentebale but also the symbol true and faithful love. “Here, let me put it on you.”, he said and she turned as he closed the clasp of the necklace around her neck. She then turned back to face him smiling.

“It’s cheesy, I know, but I wanted to give you something meaningful to me.”, he finished running his fingers on her cheek.

“ Harry, this is the most thoughtful things anyone has ever given me. Thank you”, she said pulling him toward her and kissing his lips. His hands soon found their way to her waist, pulling her closer to him. He deepened the kiss and she tangled her finger in his hair. They heard someone clearing their throat behind them. Harry and Elle pulled away and looked a at smiling William and Kate.

“ Sorry to interrupt you two love birds, but we just wanted to wish Elle a very happy birthday.”, said William smiling.

“ Aren’t you staying for the cake?”, asked Elle wistfully. “ It won’t take long now…” , she continued but William shook his head and Kate smiled sadly. “ We want to put George to bed and if we wait longer…”, said Kate and Elle nodded understandably.

“ Thank you so much for coming”, she said as she hugged them. “ Give Georgie a cuddle for me.”, she finished and Kate smiled.

“ Tell me what you thought of the gift later.”, said William smirking. “ I’ll see you tomorrow Harry.”, he finished and Harry nodded. As she watched them leaving, Elle turned to Harry and looked at him suspiciously.

“ Wait and see, Elle. Wait and see.”, was all he said.

************

The hours passed and Harry and Elle found themselves dancing to old jazz tunes, champagne saucers in hand amidst friends and family. Just before midnight, a three-tear cake arrived, covered in dark chocolate and topped with strawberries. As the people gathered around to sing Happy Birthday to her, Harry stood by her side, beaming with joy.

“ … happy birthday, dear Eleanor! Happy birthday to you!!”, they sang and Harry whispered to her:

“ Make a wish, my darling.”. And as she blew the two candles, she wished that her future could be as perfect as this moment: beside the people she cared about. There’s this quotes from The Great Gatsby that says ’ Gatsby looked at Daisy the way every young girl wanted to be looked at.’. That’s how Harry looked at her and she wished he’d continue to do so for as long as they lived.

By half past midnight, most people had already left. Harry, who was holding his tuxedo jacket in hand, turned to Elle smirking and said:

“ Elle darling, I’m going now but be ready tomorrow morning at nine, sharp. Bring spare clothes and your bikini. I’ll come to pick you up.”, he said and she stared at him quizzically. “ Why? What on earth am I doing at nine in the morning in a bikini and in this weather, Henry Wales?”, asked Elle.

“ Why… it’s your second birthday present, of course. As for what you’ll be doing, well… you’ll see tomorrow..”, said Harry smirking and she could only smile. “ Until tomorrow, ma'am.”, said Harry kissing her hand.


	25. Chapter Twenty-Four: Something to Remember - Part One

**Disclaimer** : see Prologue

_____________________________________________________

Elle woke to the sound of her alarm clock on the next morning. _Eight a.m. Thursday, Nov 6th, It read. Why am I getting up this early? Mel gave me the week off because of Remembrance celebrations_ , she thought as she sat up on the bed. _Oh… my head hurts_ …, thought Elle putting a hand on her forehead.

The it hit her. Her birthday. All the events of the previous night came rushing back to her and she realised with a smile that Harry was taking her somewhere abroad today. She quickly threw down the covers of her bed and walked into the bathroom for a shower. The warm water relaxed and woken her up. Of course, how could she had forgotten about it? And she still had to pack!. With that thought in mind, Elle turned the shower off and started getting ready. It was almost twenty to nine when she was finally done.

“ Clothes, check. Passport, check. Purse, check. Advil, check. Well… I guess I’m ready.”, she told herself and hurried downstairs and made her way into the kitchen.

“ Oh, little madam. You’ve startled me!”, exclaimed Margaret. Elle smiled sweetly at her. “Good morning Maggie.”, she said kissing the older woman’s cheek. “I’ll just grab some things; I have to leave soon.”, she completed as she put the kettle on.

“ Well, someone’s in a hurry this morning.”, said Margaret putting her hands on her hips like a concerned mother. “ I am. Harry is taking me on a surprise trip.”, said Elle excitedly. That made Margaret smile. It was hight time her little lady was happy again.

“ Oh… going out with the prince!”, she exclaimed happily. “ Well, at least take a piece of cake. It’s fresh out of the oven.”, continued Margaret cutting a piece of orange cake for her.

“ Thank you, Maggie. You’re a saint!”, said Elle bitting on a pice of it. She then poured the hot water into her travel mug and shut it tightly. Nine a.m. He will be here at any minute now., thought Elle looking at the clock on the wall. And just as she thought about it, the doorbell hang. She said goodbye to Margaret and hurried to the front door.

“ I’ll get it.”, she said passing Brandon before he could open the door. Elle then smiled at the faithful butler and said:

“ Bye Brandon. If anyone asks, tell them I’ve gone on a trip with Harry.”, she finished opening the door. Before her stood Harry, dressed in a long sleeved shirt and jeans, a smiled plastered on his face. John and Leo were waiting by the car, which was parked in front of the house. Elle smiled at him and before he could say anything, she walked over to him and kissed him fully on the lips.

“ Well, good morning to you too…”, said Harry smiling when they pulled away and she giggled sweetly. Elle smiled and he gave his hand to her. “ Ready for your other birthday present?”, he said.

“ I can’t wait for it!”, she replied.

************

As soon as the car started moving, Elle, who was still a bit sleepy, rested her head on Harry’s shoulder and quickly dozed off. A small smile appeared on his face when he looked at the sleeping woman beside him. What a crazy turn his life had had. Who could have thought that in barely three months he’d have come to care so deeply for Elle? Harry certainly didn’t. After forty-five minutes, the car came to a stop.

“ Sir, we’ve spoken to Hector. He said they’re ready to go.”, said Leo, looking at Harry from the rear- view mirror. “Excellent. Thank you, Leo.”, he replied and the man nodded getting out of the car. John followed in behind, getting the couple’s bags from the boot. Harry adjusted his baseball cap and gently, ran his hand on Elle’s cheek.

“ Elle? Elle? We’re here.”, he said, almost whispering. She moaned and blinked. Looking up, she saw Harry’s amused face and smiled. “ Hey… sorry for hogging your shoulder…”, she said taking her head off of it. He just shook his head. “ Where are we?”, she asked. He pointed to the window. The blue Heathrow Airport sign visible before her.

“ The airport? Where exactly are you taking me Harry that it demands a plane?”, asked Elle in amid of irritation and curiosity. Harry chuckled at her and turned to opened his door and get out of the car. She did the same and, once she was out, walked towards him.

“ That’s it then? You’re not going to tell me? Not even going to give me a clue?”, she asked. He shook his head she sighed. “ Come, or we’ll be late.”, he said extending his hand to her. She sighed again and took hold of it. John and Leo, who were waiting for them, handed each of them their luggage and proceeded to guide the young couple to the VIP entrance where they’d catch their plane. They walked through a narrow corridor and then finally, their reached the glass door that lead to the landing/takeoff runway. John and Leo opened the doors for them and let them through.

“ A jet?”, she asked amused and bewildered. “ I talked to Pa about getting you a special birthday present and they let me use his private jet.”, he said smirking. She shook her head smiling. Only he would do something like that, she thought. They walked side by side in the windy runway, followed closely by John and Leo. When they reached the jet, Harry smiled and greeted warningly the man before them.

“ Hector, how good to see you again!” he said as they embraced. The man smiled and returned the hug, with small taps on Harry’s back. “ Good to see you again, sir.”. He then turned to Elle, who smiling shyly at him. “ And this must be the lovely lady who’ll be accompanying you, right?”, he said to Harry, still looking at Elle.

“ It is. Hector, this is my girlfriend, Eleanor. Elle, this is Hector, he’ll be flying the plane for us.”, said Harry and the man extended his hand to greet her. “ It’s a pleasure to meet you, milady.”, he said and Elle shook his hand, smiling. “ The pleasure is mine, Hector.”, she replied.

“ Shall we get inside? I wouldn’t want you to be late.”, said Hector and they entered the jet. It was specious and comfortable, with beige leather chairs and a wooden like interior; it was spacious enough to fit eight people. Harry and Elle took their seats beside each other, while John and Leo sat on the other side of the jet.

“ This is captain Hector speaking. I urge you all to buckle up your seat belts. We’re ready for takeoff.”, they heard in the speakers.

************

“ Lady and gentlemen, the landing will commence in ten minutes. If you’d like to take a look at your windows…”, said the pilot. Elle turned from her seat and stared outside hers. The clouded sky began to clear and soon the image of the the familiar parisian rooftops and finally, she spotted a tiny Eiffel Tower from afar.

“ You brought me to Paris!?”, she said and Harry smiled.

“ Well, not exactly. I brought you to France. But we’re not staying in Paris.”, he replied. She looked confused at him.

“ We’re not?”, she asked and he shook his head. “ Then where are we staying?”, Elle asked again and all he could do was smiled brightly at her. “ You’re infuriating, did you know that?”, she said sighing. The men around her chuckled. John and Leo tried to contain it but couldn’t.

Twenty minutes later, they had landed and gone through customs. Then, they took a cab and went to the train station. Harry and Elle boarded the train to a place called St. Malo which Elle had never heard of. Two hours and a half later, the train stopped, signalling they had arrived in the town. Elle got up to leave the train but Harry stopped her.

“ Now, I need to do something before we can get off.”, said Harry. Elle looked at him quizzically. He then took of an eye mask from his pocket. “ You have to put this on otherwise it will spoil the surprise.”, he said and continued to stare at him. “ Please? For me?”, said Harry making his best puppy dog face. “ Fine!”, she said and put the mask on.

“ Okay! Now, I’ll guide you all the way through. And when I say okay, you can take it off, alright?”, he said and she nodded. Harry took her hands and gently pulled her along the steps, leading her off the platform and into the car which was waiting for them. They got in and rode for ten minutes through an empty road, framing the cost line. Elle could hear the sound of seagulls and she could only guess that they were somewhere close to a beach. _Why are we on a beach? It’s bloody freezing!_ , she thought.

When the car finally stopped, she heard the door opening and Harry talking to John and Leo outside the car. Then the door opened again and Harry took her hand once more, guiding out of it.

“ Alright, you can take the mark off.”, said Harry. And the view didn’t disappoint her in one bit. Before her stood a beautiful, four storey high, parisian styled hotel located on the shore of St. Malo’s coast. Le Grand Hôtel des Thérmes said on the entrance. _Thérmes? That means thermal waters… nicely done_ , Harry!, she thought. “ Harry… this is … oh my… it’s incredible!! Thank you so much!”, said said turning to him, throwing her arms around his neck.

“ You don’t have to thank me, Elle.”, he replied. She pulled back, their faces inches from each other.

“ How did you find this place? ”, she asked. “ My mum took me and William here after the divorce, but I didn’t notice how beautiful and peaceful it was until a few years ago when I came back for the summer and fell in love with it.”., he replied.

“It’s truly wonderful, Harry.”, she said, still tangled in his arms before pulling him into a kiss. He ran his hands along her back, sending chills on her spine. “ Come on, let’s get inside. I think you’ll like it.”, he said pulling her along to the hotel’s entrance. A funny looking man, named Jacques made their check-in and guided through the main floor.

“ Here we have the spa and there, along that corridor, the restaurant.”, said the man. Elle looked excitedly to and Harry and he chuckled. “ Let’s go”, he said and they entered the spa. Not that she was a vain person, quite on the contrary. But who doesn’t like a good massage and a good, relaxing bath in therapeutical waters?

The place was covered in stones and different coloured tiles, imitating greek motifs. Apart from them, there were only two other couples and an elderly man at the pool. At this time of the year, most people resorted to other places due to the weather; so the hotel was pretty much empty.

Elle, too excited to wait to change in her room, took her bag and went into one of the changing cabins and put on her white, red and blue striped bikini. She then grabbed a robe and towels, put on her flip flops and went straight to one of the many pools of hot water. Harry, who had also changed stared wide eyed at the woman before him. He had seen her in fitted dresses and riding attire but to see her in a bikini was a completely different matter.

“ Wow…”, he whispered. She walked towards him smiling. She caught him staring and said:

“What? Is something wrong?”. He met her half away and shook his head. “ No, it’s just… you’re so beautiful.”, he said and she blushed adverting her eyes.

“ Umm… let’s go in?”, she said a little embarrassed, while descending the steps that led into the pool. He, differently than her, went for a dive. When he emerged from the water, she couldn’t help but look at his body. The muscular back, the way he flexed his arms, the water dripping from his hair… _Damn he’s fit_ , she thought. They swam for a while, splashing water at each other like two children and then stopped at one of the corners of the pool, just soaking in.

“ Hmm this so good… don’t you think?”, said Elle, with her head thrown back, eyes closed and elbows resting on the edge of the pool. “ Yes… very relaxing…”, replied Harry observing her. She then opened her eyes and caught him staring. Another blush crept into her cheeks. He found it adorable that she blushed every time he complemented or stared at her. He swam closer to her and caressed her face.

“ You don’t need to feel embarrassed or shy about your looks and the way I stare at you.”, he said kissing her cheek. She let out the breath she was holding and gave him a tiny smile before deciding to take a bolder step and circled his wait with her arms, resting her head on his bare chest. He was little surprised by her actions but soon relaxed, putting his arms around her and his head on top of hers.

Elle then moved one of her hands up, towards his chest, and started making circle movements with her fingers while Harry ran his hand up and down her back. “ I like this. Us together, me being in your arms…”, she said and though she couldn’t see it, he smiled.

************

After lunch, they went back to the pools and stayed there until late afternoon relaxing and enjoying each other’s company. This was a time of discovery for both of them. Not only physically but also emotionally. As they explored the closeness of each other’s bodies, they also learnt more about their own feelings and restrainments. When they grew tired of the pool, they asked Jacques for their room key. He quickly obliged, leading them to the first floor of the hotel.

“ Here we are madame et monsieur, room 51.”, said the French valet in English, with a very thick accent. John and Leo would be staying in the end of the corridor, a few rooms from them. Harry opened the door to her and Elle could only admire the uniqueness of their room. It was grand, an ante-room with two chairs and a coffee table in front of them; pastel coloured, with naval motifs on the walls. The big glass window faced the north side of the hotel, giving them a privileged view of the beach in front of it.

Her eyes then focused on the bed. _Oh no…_ , she though eyeing the single, king sized bed in front of her. They had just began knowing each other… _he didn’t expect them to be sharing a bed, did he?_ , she pondered. Sensing her distress, Harry moved past her and opened another door.

“ Here. Um.. I… I asked for an adjoined room. That way we can still be close to each other but you’ll have all the privacy you need.”, he said and she entered the other room. It was very similar to the previous. The only difference was that there was no ante-room on hers. She put her bags on the bed, turned to Harry with an adoring look on her face. “ I don’t deserve such care…”, she said approaching him.

“ You do. You do… and so much more.”, he said holding her in his arms. “ This may have started as a political arrangement but it turned into so much more. At least to me.”, he continued, saying the words passionately.

“From the moment I first tasted your lips, I knew I could never go back or stay away from you, Elle. My fate was set, intertwined with yours. It may be too soon to say it but I have to tell you. I love you, Eleanor. And I’ll do everything I can to make you feel happy and cared for. ”, said Harry his voice low, cupping her cheek, bringing her closer to him and looking deeply into her eyes. Elle stared back at his clear blue eyes and smiled brightly, her eyes glassy with tears. Taking hold of his hand that was resting on her cheek, she pressed its palm against her lips and kissed it. Chuckling, still holding it close to her face she said:

“ You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear it…and how happy it makes me, Harry. Because… I too, have fallen deeply in love with you…my Captain. Deeply, as I never thought I would. You make me laugh, you make me feel so loved and safe, so happy and in so little time.”, said Elle, letting go of his hand and putting hers on his chest. “ You are my fate. And I love you with all my heart.”, she said, lifting her hand from his chest and running it on his hair. “ Oh my love …”, was his reply before capturing her lips in his.

************

That night, they got to know each other in so many different levels. With desire flowing in their veins, Elle and Harry loved every inch of one another with a burning passion, connecting more than just their bodies, but their souls. There, lying together, with only the sound of the waves outside, arms around each other, they felt a deep sense of belonging.

And looking at the woman resting on his chest, Harry pondered over the previous months. He could never had imagined they would ended up like this: loving each other so much. Elle was everything he’d been looking for: kind, funny, smart, had a bit of a temper sometimes but a gentle heart, wanted to make a difference in the world through her actions… all in all, she was beautiful inside and out and he was luck to have her.

All those thoughts made him realise they were truly meant to be. What he and Elle had was more than what he’d hoped for. As he had told her before, it may have started as an political agreement that neither of them wanted to be a part of, but look how far they’ve come! If he was reluctant at first, now he longed for a life beside her.


	26. Chapter Twenty-Five: Something to Remember - Part Two

**Disclaimer:** see Prologue

_______________________________________________________

Harry and Elle had fallen asleep in each other’s arms. In the morning, she woke up with the sound of the seagulls outside. She stirred and tried to get up but Harry’s arm, who was holding her tightly by the waist, only pulled her closer. A soft moan escaped his lips and she lifted her head from his chest, seeing Harry blink, trying to open his eyes.

“ Good morning sleepyhead.”, she said to him, running her hand in his chest. A small smile appeared on the corner of his lips. “ Good morning…”, he replied stretching his arms. Then, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, he smiled brightly.

“Ah…now this is a sight I’d love to have everyday…”. Elle blushed a little then rolled her eyes and took her head from his chest, popping it on her hand.

“ My hair is a ginger mess right now and I probably have panda eyes from my makeup. Not te best sight in the world, Captain.”, she said and Harry chuckled, cupping her cheek.

“ I think you look beautiful just like this…”, he said and pulled her closer to him, kissing her fully. When they pulled way, she smiled sweetly at him. She looked into his eyes and saw a distinctive mark of uncertainty. She knew what he was thinking. “ Harry… “, she started, running her fingers on his temple. “Hmm…”, he murmured. “ Before you say anything, I just wanted to tell you that last night was amazing to me… and I don’t regret one bit.”, she said and his smile grew bigger.

“ Good. Because I don’t regret it either. And I want you to know that now, more than ever, I want to make this relationship work.”, he told her.

“ I can see it, Elle.”, he said putting his on top of hers, that was resting above his heart. “ I can see us together… our wedding, the family we’ll have… I can see it all. And I want it.”, he said. She sighed and smiled at him, leaning down to kiss him. He pulled her closer, holding the base of her neck and rolled them, now lying above her.

“ Umm… I love when you kiss me like that.”, she said sighing. “ Like this?”, he asked leaning down and holding her by the base of the neck again, while she cupped his cheek, moaning in his lips. When they pulled apart, she pushed him away and sat up. “ While I love staying in bed with you, I’m dying for breakfast.”, she said and he smiled. “And we haven’t explored the town yet… Come on! I’m dying to see that Grand’Porte Monsieur Jacques told us about.”, said Elle pulling him to a sitting position and he shook his head. “ Why did I have to fall in love with a Historian?”, he said and she chuckled.

************

After breakfast, they put on their coats, grabbed a map of the citadel and off they went, with John and Leo trailing discretely behind them. They walked along the seaside, observing the boats on the sea, feeling the chilly breezy that came from it. About twenty minutes later, they reached what was called the Old Town. This was the centre of the ancient roman town, then re-found by a christian monk in the 11th century, whose name the town is named after.

Walking hand in hand on its cobbled streets, Harry and Elle passed trough many small shops, bakeries, cafés and restaurants. Finally arriving at the gate, the oldest entrance to the citadel, Elle gasped. Composed of two towers and an artillery platform, it was simply magnificent.

“ Come on! I want to see the view from the platform!”, she said excitedly. Before he even could consider answering her, she was pulling him along the entrance to one of the towers. They climbed the spiral staircase, reaching the top and the platform that stood between the two towers.

“ Oh my… would you look at that!”, said Elle admiring the view in front of them. From where they were standing, they could see the the port and its many boast and ships. Harry came behind her and she leaned in, while he circled her waist. She then took her mobile from her coat pocket and tuned the camera to face them. “ Smile!”, she said as she snapped a picture of them, the dim sunlight on their faces. “Ah…what’s next?”, she asked herself whilst looking at the map in her hands. “ Ah! Let’s go to St. Vincent’s. It’s just across the street.”, she said pointing to the bell tower on the other side of the narrow street, pulling a laughing Harry along once again.

He loved seeing this side of her. The excited historian looking for another discovery, another ancient building or manuscript. The descended the stairs and crossed the road. Directly in from of the gate and through yet another narrow, cobbled street, stood the 12th century St. Vincent’s Cathedral. They quietly entered it and were instantly taken by the beautiful rose window on one of its walls. “ Of all the historical sites I’ve visited, cathedrals are always the ones that amaze me the most. Looking at them makes me reassure my beliefs in a higher power… How could it not?”, she whispered to Harry as they walked along the nave.

After the cathedral, they visited a couple of naval and military museums, some shops and stopped briefly for lunch in a small restaurant by the seaside. They ate a course of fish, with mashed potatoes and a creamy risotto, accompanied by white wine. French, of course. Harry and Elle savoured each moment together knowing that they wouldn’t see much of each other in next days due to their own engagements concerning Remembrance Week.

Back at the hotel, they packed what little they brought and prepared to leave on the next available train. Harry had already alerted Hector, who would be waiting for them at the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. John and Leo waited for them at the reception as Harry checked them out. Once everything was settled, they grabbed a cab and went to the station. With baseball caps, coats and scarves tightly around their necks, Harry and Elle made their journey back to Paris.

“ So, what are the plans for Remembrance? Service and Cenotaph?”, she asked him once they sat in their booth with John and Leo.

“ Probably… but I won’t be joining them for Remembrance Festival this year.”, replied Harry. “ What about you? Will you be going to Wiltshire?”, he asked, while eating a bag of crisps. “ Yes… we’ll be going there tomorrow. On Saturday we have the Candles Memorial in the cathedral then on sunday the remembrance ceremony. And I’ll probably cry like a baby in both of them.”, she replied sipping on her bottle of water. “ It’ll be my first remembrance here in 6 years. I could never come home from Scotland during this time of the year. I have to give a small speech on saturday. I hope it goes well and without any crying on my part.”, she finished chuckling which earned a smile from John and Leo.

“ You’ll be fine, I’m sure of it”, he said squeezing her hand, smiling from the corner of his lips.

************

The journey back to London went smoothly. Harry and Elle sat next to each other, he at the window and she beside him. Her head was resting on his chest, hand above his heart; while his arm circled her by the shoulders.

“ I think staying like this, the way we are, is kind of our first stablished habit as a couple.”, said Elle pointing out to the way they were embracing each other. “ The first of many, I hope.”, said Harry after a chuckle. She smiled and placed a gentle peck on his lips and faced the dark sky before them. Soon, the sparkling lights of London appeared and they began their descent into Heathrow; They landed 6.30 pm and, following John and Leo, Harry and Elle walked with their hands intertwined, making their way to the VIP area where their car would be waiting for them.

“ Sir, I’m afraid we have a situation.”, said and annoyed Leo to Harry. With one look the left he saw that the VIP entrance was packed with paparazzi. Shit, not now. , thought Harry. “ It appears someone has tipped them of, sir.”, said John.

He looked to Elle apologetically and she sighed. “ We know how they are, Harry. And they already know who I am. It’s not like I’ve appeared in your life out of nowhere.”, she said, running her hand on the side of his arms. “Let’s just get though this and go home, okay?”, she said with a small smile, holding onto him. He smiled back, pushing her fringe out of her eyes.

“ How can you be so calm and cool about this? You’re the first girlfriend I’ve had that hasn’t complaint about the press.”, he said a little amazed. “We, people like you and me, learn from an early age to accept and endure certain things. The attention of the press being one of them. I’m not being snobbish, far from it, but it’s just the way we were brought up.”, she simply stated.

It was true. Elle was not like his past girlfriends. She came from a long line of earls and dukes that went back many generations, just like his mother’s family did. And although his mother had hated the invasion of privacy performed by the press, she knew how to play them in her favour. Kate, after being with William for so long, had also learnt. And that’s what Elle would do. She’d play the press and hope for the best.

Putting her baseball cap on, much like Harry’s, Elle walked beside him, holding his hand. If it was a show they wanted, it was a show they’d get. Needless to say that when their were spotted by the first photographers that they were blinded by a swarm of flashes and shouts. _“ Harry! Are you two officially together? What about Cressida?”_ , shouted one. _“Eleanor! Over here! Has the prince proposed to you?”_ , shouted another as they made their way to the car.

“ We’ve made it, Captain. We walked throughout the lion’s dean and survived.”, said Elle jokingly. Harry chuckled and shook his head. “ Only you could joke about that, Elle.”, he said with an amused smiled. “ Well, I’ve learnt that it’s best to give them what they want before they try to look around for something else that might ruin you.”, she said.

************

“ Thank you so much for my birthday presents. I loved them.”, said Elle when they stopped outside her home in South Kensington. Being a chilly November night, the street was lit up by the lights but there was no one else there.

Harry held her close to him, their faces inches from each other, his hand lancing her waist. “ I’m glad you liked them, love. I put a lot of thought into them.”, said Harry smiling lovingly at her. “ How could I not? It was perfect. Every single thing.”, she replied, implying their first night together, pulling him into a kiss. He deepened it, bringing her to his chest while her hands danced on his back.

“ Would you like to come in? I think it’s just me… my parents and Ed are probably already at Woodenford and the staff is on their weekend off.”, she said when they pulled away, something small, yet visible to him, sparkling in her eyes. It took all of his strength not to give into her forest green eyes.

“ As much as I’d love to spend more time with you, Elle…”, Harry started, looking deeply into her them, one hand on the back of her neck. “ And believe me, I really do. It’s taking all of my might not to stay…”, he said with a chuckle. “ But I have to get back. You and I have different roles to play at this weekend’s events and we both need our rest. Goodness knows our small trip was physically very tiring.”, he finished with his signature smirk, which made her blush slightly.

“ That we do…”, she said and sighed. “ And I know I’d never sleep properly if you stayed here… and I do need to sleep before the speech. God, the speech. I still have to revise it. Oh no… I won’t have enough time…”, said Elle starting to panic. Harry quickly hold her arms and pulled her gently towards him.

“ Hey, hey… Elle, look at me.”, he said softly, as she slowly made eye contact with him. “ I’ve told you this already. You’ll be fine. You’re a natural with this; I’ve seen it. As you’ll be talking about History. How hard can it be for a Historian with two PhDs?”, he said smiling and she chuckle lightly and she smiled at him. He already knew exactly how to make her worries disappear and put a smile on her face.

“ Now I really should go, love…”, he said running his thumb on her cheek. “ When are you getting back?”, he asked.

“ Sunday evening… I’ll stay for the Veterans Brunch with my parents.”, she replied and he nodded.

“ So I guess I’ll see you next week then?”, he asked.

“ Absolutely, Captain. Now, give me my good luck kiss and you can go.”, said Elle to him and he laughed. He pulled her by the back of the neck and kissed her passionately. When they pulled away, their heads still close to one another, he whispered:

“ Good luck, love. I know you’ll make me proud.”, and went back to the car where John and Leo were waiting for him.

************

Remembrance Week is a very emotional subject in her family. As she traveled on the next morning to Salisbury, Elle thought about her great-uncle Bart and the stories he shared with her and Ed when they were little. Her grand-uncle, Lord Bartholomew McClaire, born after the end of the Great War, had been part of one of the British troops that arrived in Normandy on D Day during World War Two and, along the course of the it, he saw many of his brother in arms parish. Not only by fatal blows, but also from lack of specific care to the injures they sustained.

Once he got back from the front, right arm disabled, he decided to do everything he could to remember those who had fallen and help the ones like him, who suffered from any kind of damage resulted from the war. So, along with a group of veterans and the community, he invested his money and time in the foundation of a Recovery Centre based on Wiltshire, to support the wounded and injured, called Tedworth House. Today it’s run by the charity Help for Heroes with the same goals it started back in 1946: to help our heroes in any way possible. When he died in 2003 leaving no descendants of his own, her father took over his place helping Tedworth House, in a way of keep Bartholomew’s work alive.

And, for as long as she could recall, on every Remembrance Sunday, Elle and her family have traveled to their hometown in Wiltshire to pay their respects to all war veterans and have brunch with them and the recovering heroes of Tedworth House at their ancestral home. And that’s where she was headed now. As she rushed through Waterloo Station, Elle hear her call from the speakers:

“ Ladies and Gentlemen, you’re attention please. South West Trains to Salisbury are now boarding on platform nine. I repeat, South West Trains to Salisbury are now boarding. Thank you.”

Why I am always late to catch trains?, she thought with a sigh of relief when she took her seat on the train.

The journey was peaceful. The train itself was practically empty, save for some elderly couples and families with young children. On her way, Elle thought about the last time she made that same train journey and what followed it. Boy… who’d have thought that spending time with him there would ignite everything?, thought Elle as she recalled the night of the benefit ball and the morning that she and Harry spent together at Woodenford Castle. As per usual, Mr. Elton, their chauffeur, would be picking her up from the station. Much like the last time she was here, he was waiting for her just outside of the station, big smile on his face.

“ Hello again, young lady.”, said the older man as she approached him. Elle smiled brightly at him and went for a hug. “ Ah… it’s s good to see you again, Clark. How have you been since we last saw each other?”, she asked as he took her small suitcase and put it on the car.

“ Very well, milady. Though I should be asking you that question.”, he said with a small smirk. “There’s been some talk of a certain ginger prince in your life recently…”, finished Clark with a knowing look as he opened the door for her. She rolled her eyes at his antics and got into the car. Once he started the engine and they were off the station, she replied:

“ Well, it’s a bit complicated as everything related to the Royal Family is…but yes, we are together.”, she said to him and she saw he smile from the corner of his lips. “ I’m very glad to hear it, milady. The prince has always had the ability to make you smile. Every since you were children.”, he said and smiled. As they entered the narrow yet long road that lead to the castle he continued:

“ However, I’ll won’t hesitate in kicking his royal arse if he even tries to do what Mr. Mackintosh did to you, milady. Don’t you forget that I was a Royal Dragoon guard.”, he finished with a serious look and Elle chuckled. _Typical Clark._ , she thought. To everyone else he could look scary but behind that stern face there was a soft heart. If there was anyone that she could go to no matter what it was Clark. He’d always listen to her and council her to the best of his abilities.

“ Speaking of it, you will be joining us for the brunch this year, right? Ed told me that last year you’ve made a poor excuse not to attend it.”, she said. Clark had left service as a chauffeur during her grandfather’s time as a Duke to join the Dragoons and fought in the Korean War. “ I won’t take no for an answer since this is my first Remembrance in England after graduating. You have to be there, Clark. ”, said Elle to the driver and he sighed. There’s no way she’s going to let me out of it., thought the elder man.

************

Arriving home was always a pleasure to Elle. Not that she didn’t considered London her home but, being at Woodenford was different. There, she felt free from all the chaos and stress.

“ Welcome home, milady.”, said Logan warmly. She smiled at the old butler and patted his shoulder. “ Good to see you again, Logan. Where are my parents?”, she asked, passing through the Entrance Hall. “ Their Graces are in the Drawing Room, milady.”, said Logan. She thanked him and rushed to meet them.

“ Eleanor, darling. I’m so glad you’re home!”, exclaimed her mother standing up from the couch she was seating on upon seeing her entering the Drawing Room.

“ How was the trip, darling? Harry was beyond excited when he told us about his plans.”, said Rupert from his chair with a twinkle in his eyes. Elle frowned.

“ You knew about my surprise trip?”, she asked seating down and her mother did the same. “Of course we did, darling. Harry came talking to your father and I just before your birthday. He so wanted to surprise you.”, she replied and Elle smiled sweetly. “ And… by that smile on your lips I;m guessing he did very well.”, finished her mother with a light chuckle.

“ More than well! He… we… said it.”, said Elle with a sigh. He mother took a moment to realise what she was saying. “ You mean to tell me that you confessed to l.o.v.e each other?”, she asked excitedly. Elle giggled.

“ We did… everything was so perfect mum! Gosh, I sound like a school girl talking about her crush.”, said Elle running her hands in her hair. “ I can’t exactly describe it but… after all the chaos and stress that followed my break up with… you-know-who and you telling me about Harry, I thought it would take longer for me to actually fall in love with him but mum, I’ve never been this happy before. He takes such good care of me… as cliché as this might sound, we’re so different and yet so similar. It’s like we complete each other…”, she said to them and the couple smiled brightly at her.

“ My darling, you don’t know how happy this makes me. To know that you love him and is loved in return.”, said Rupert, seating beside her and gently patting his daughter’s cheek. Her mother took the other place beside her and, turning to face Elle she began:

“ When your father told me about the Parliament’s and Queen’s decision, I didn’t know what to do. I was so angry at him for letting something like that happen to you, but he had no other choice but to agree. Then, on the day we were going to tell you, he broke up with you. You were so fragile that moment, darling. I didn’t want to inflict more pain. But we had to tell you. I shall never forget the look on your face when we did. It shattered my heart.”, said her mother, eyes glittering with tears.

“ But, when you and Harry started to go out, I saw that deep down, you were the right choice for him and he for you. It may have been hard in the beginning but as the days turned into months, you’d started to come back smiling more each day… and, when we saw you together at your birthday, we knew you were truly meant to be. It’s like that saying: God writes straight in crooked line.”, her father said. Elle embraced her them tightly. How could she stay mad at her parents?

“ Mummy, daddy, I… that day hurt me more than you can imagine but, after the ball… after seeing Harry here in Woodenford with me, things began to change. It started to get better and I can honestly admit that he played a major part in my happiness. I still haven’t forgotten the fact that you both lied and kept something so major from me but I’ve come to forgive you for it, for I know that you’d never knowingly hurt me in any way.”, said Elle holding tightly on her parents hands. “ I love you both so much!”, she said looking them in the eyes.

“ We love you too, darling. And we want nothing more than to see you happy.”, said Rupert cupping her cheek as she smiled at his words.

************

Later that evening, they attended the Candles Night at Salisbury Cathedral. The church was lit up with hundreds of candles. Each one dedicated to a fallen soldier. Needless to say that Elle silently cried during the entire event. Knowing about the massacre that follows each war was one thing. But studying it was another completely different. And even thought the Great Wars were not her expertise, she had taken two courses on Military History; she had visited the sights and she knew from her family’s work at Tedworth what war did to people.

On sunday, Elle and her family got an early start, had breakfast together and went to Salisbury for Remembrance Service. Dressed in a black Alexander McQueen coat dress, she solemnly accompanied her family walking behind her parent and beside her brother to Salisbury Cathedral, were the service would take place. Along with them, the veterans, their families and friends.

There, she gave her speech before the community. She stood from her seat and walked towards the bishop. Elle read the second lesson of the service, that spoke about redemption and God’s love for us all.

“… and let us rejoice in knowing that our heroes, who have bravely made the ultimate sacrifice for their country are resting in peace in His eternal kingdom. And at the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.”, she finished with a line from the Ode of Remembrance.

“ We will remember them.”, echoed in the Cathedral from the response given to the listeners.

After it, they walked to the Cenotaph to pay their respects. Hundreds gathered around it behind security fences, poppies on their lapels. Her father, dressed in his Blues and Royals black uniform, laid the family wreath of blood red poppies at the base of the monument with a quote from I Vow to Thee, My Country : ‘The love that asks no question, the love that stands the test, that lays upon the altar the dearest and the best.’.

The bells of the cathedral announced the eleventh hour of that morning. At the sound of it, the crowds rushed and no one spoke for two minutes. Elle could only think of what her great granduncle must have felt on D Day, at the end of the war and on every Remembrance Week that followed since his return. She couldn’t begin to imagine what it must be to see your brothers-in-arms dying beside you not being able to help them. She couldn’t imagine what was like to train and fight beside your friends in a hostile environment. But Elle knew people who had experienced first hand what war was like.

************

After the Cenotaph, the family returned to the castle to prepared for the Veterans Brunch. Like every year, it would be held at the ballroom for 150 war heroes. They’d be arriving at half past noon along with their immediate families and Elle and her mother were responsible for receiving them. She changed to a cosier black dress, took her hat off and pinned the poppy that had been on her previous dress on her new one. A soft knock came from her bedroom door and her mother walked in.

“ Darling, are you ready? It’s almost time. You father has changed his uniform and is waiting with Edward downstairs.”, said her mother still dressed in the same L.K. Bennett half sleeved, below the knee, black dress.

“ Almost. I just have to pin the poppy to my dress and I’m done.”, replied Elle. The telly on her bedroom was on, and news about the Cenotaph ceremony in London were playing. As she pinned her poppy, she watched the Royal Family make their way to the monument and noticed that someone was missing from the party.

“ I see everyone but Harry there. Where is he?”, said Elle to her mum. Victoria also found strange not to see the young prince paying his respects since he was so linked to the military. “ Didn’t he tell you anything when you got back, darling?”

“ No… he didn’t mention anything out of the ordinary. Well, in fact, he didn’t mentioned what he would be doing on today’s service. I supposed he’d be with his family at Whitehall but-“, Elle paused when she heard what the reporter said next.

_“ In an unexpected move, Prince Harry travelled to Afghanistan yesterday.”, began the reporter. “ What is he doing there?!”, exclaimed Elle, seating on her bed an turning the volume up. “ We’ve just leant he attended a Remembrance Sunday ceremony at an army base in Kandahar. He and the British soldiers based there gathered at the Air Base of Kandahar to pay their respects to their fallen brothers. The prince read a lesson from the Bible and laid a wreath of poppies at a memorial leaving a hand-written note that read: ’There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. They will never be forgotten.’ . A very touching moment indeed for Prince Harry. This is Howard Yates from BBC World News.”_

_Harry, Harry… never ceasing to amaze me._ , thought Elle as she shook her head, a playful smiled on her lips.


	27. Chapter Twenty-Six: If this is love, love is easy

**Disclaimer:** see Prologue

 **A/N:** Thank you so much for the kind reviews and messages!! This is a much smaller chapter but I hope you enjoy it anyway :)

xx Bea

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When Elle and Harry met on the following week after Remembrance for a late night movie & snacks at her place, she was more than a little vocal about his surprise trip to the Middle East.

“ Why didn’t you tell me about it?“, she asked him in slightly louder tone as they walked out of the kitchen. ” I’m not mad because of it, just annoyed that you didn’t tell me…", she justified and he kept looking at her without saying a word.

“Do you have any idea how worried I was when I saw the news and heard that you were in bloody Afghanistan?!”, said Elle, sighing when they sat on the sofa on her living room, a bowl of ice cream for each.

“ I was going to but… we got so caught up in St. Malo that I didn’t want you to freak out.”, he replied running his thumb on her cheek. “ Besides, I wasn’t in any kind of danger…”, he finished.

“ Well, I still got worried.”, she replied pouting and making an annoyed face to him, who he chuckled. they silently ate together, occasionally glancing at each other.

” Oh come on… don’t give me that look!“, he said pleadingly and she squinted her eyes at him. Harry then put his bowl in the coffee table in front of them and scooped her up in his arms. He then started to give her small kisses on the temple, cheek and jawline, whispering sweet nothings into her ear.

” Am I forgiven? Say you forgive me?“, he whispered to her, who couldn’t help but let out a small moan pass through her lips.

” So? Am I forgiven yet?“, he continued, as he trailer the kisses down her neck. Sighing, she pulled away from him a looked him in the eyes. ” Yes… I forgive you.“, Elle told him with a small smile on her lips. ” But don’t do it again.“, she finished a little sternly. Harry nodded smiling she laid her head on his chest.

“ It was good, you know?”, he said. “ To be there again with the troops, with the guys and girls who are away from their families in such an important day. To feel the same companionship I felt when I was stationed there…”, Harry finished and Elle looked up at him and saw a mixture of sadness and longing in his face.

“ You miss it, don’t you?”, she asked with a glint of sadness in her eyes. “ Being an active soldier, fighting on the front lines?”, she said scooping a bit of her mango sorbet.

“ Yeah… a lot. I mean, I know that they’d never put be back on duty there again, not after the threats I received last time… but I was trained. I have skills to fight and I want to serve my country. Is it so wrong to want to do that?”, he said sighing in frustration. “ Don’t get me wrong, I love my job here in London, but if I could choose between what I do here and the field, I’d choose the field anytime.”, he finished.

“ Well, maybe you’ll find other ways to apply your skills, like Will did. I know you’re capable of great things, Harry.”, said Elle, caressing his hand to which he smiled nodding.

“ Alright, enough about that. Which movie should we watch: V for Vendetta or The Princess Bride?”, he suddenly asked her and she nodded happily, with a big smile on her face.

************

On November 18th, Harry surprised Elle yet again. He called her at work and asked her to dress nicely but comfortably because they were going out that night. At six in the evening, he appeared at her doorstep, dressed in dark blue jeans, a white dress shirt and a light jacket in hand.

“ Hello Brandon. May we came in?”, said Harry when the butler open the door to him and his RPO’s John and Leo.

“ Good evening, sir. Please come in.”, replied Brandon letting them through. “ Lady Eleanor is about to come down, I’m told.”, he finished as he guided him to the Drawing Room. He knocked softly on the door, opened it and introduced Harry to the people in the room. John and Leo entered first, looked around and left along with Brandon. Once the door was closed, Victoria stood up from her chair and walked towards Harry.

“ Harry, how lovely to see you! How have you been? How’s your family?”, said Victoria greeting him with a kiss on the cheek.

“ It’s good to see you too, Victoria. And they’re well, thank you.”, he replied moving on to greet Elle’s father. The older man smiled as the younger approached him.

“ Harry, great to see you, my boy. Come, come! Don’t just stand there! Take a seat. I’m sure Elle will be here any moment.”, said Rupert with a kind smiled on his lips. “My dear, why don’t you go and see if our daughter needs any help?”, he said to his wife who nodded and left the room. Harry then took a seat beside him. The older man put away his book and turned to face him.

“ So, how was it?”, he asked in a hushed tone to which Harry looked at him quizzically.“ Being back at Afghanistan I mean.”, he continued in a hushed yet excited tone. Harry looked a little startled but let him continue.

“ Ah, I miss the old days… I’d do anything to be back in the field…”, said Rupert with an air of nostalgia. “ I served with your uncle, Prince Andrew, during the Falklands War, you know?”, he asked.

“ I never new, sir. To be honest, I didn’t even know you were in the Army…”, said Harry astonished.

“ I was. I joined Sandhurst in 1979, then the Blues and Royals, like you and William did. I was barely out of the academy when the war broke… it was my first field mission. Then three tours in Bosnia under NATO operations.”, he confessed.

“ But when I came back from the last one, my father who had been gravely ill and probably very distressed to know that his only son and heir was in the front lines, died of tuberculosis… I had to step into his place. I remember being so frustrated… I wanted to serve my country actively. But alas, it wasn’t meant to be. I was transferred to a desk job and remained in the army for another ten years.”, said a pensive Rupert to Harry.

“ I can only imagine what was like to be back there… I personally never got back to the islands or Bosnia. But I reckon it would be quite the experience… seeing it all again. In another perspective this time.”, he said and Harry nodded. Rupert then patted Harry’s shoulder and in a more understanding tone said:

“ It’s different for us, Harry. The life of a soldier could never fit into the life we were born into. No matter how much we wish we could do both to its fullest.”, he finished just as the sound of heels came through the door. “ Ah here she is! You look lovely, my darling.”, said Rupert to his daughter as she walked into the room.

Wow, thought Harry. Elle was wearing a soft pink blouse, black leather-like trousers and black knee high, stiletto boots. There was nothing glamorous about it but to him, she looked amazing. She approached him, small smiled appearing on the corner of her lips. “ Hey…”, she said shyly.

“ Hey…”, he said when she stopped in front of him and gave her a peck on the cheek. “ You look beautiful.”, he whispered and she smiled. “ Shall we go? ”, said Harry, taking his jacket from the chair where he was previously seated. She nodded, they said their goodbyes to Victoria and Rupert and off they went.

“ Now, where exactly are we going?”, asked Elle to Harry once they were in the car. He chuckled and simply shook his head. “ Not even a hint?”, she asked and he pondered.

“ Alright. We’re are going to see something you’ve been wanting for quite sometime now. That’s all I can say. And don’t try to guess it because I won’t answer.”, he said and she started to think. _Where could he be taking me? Something I’ve wanted to see for a long time…? The new production of the Royal Ballet? No… far too formal for these clothes. The Monet exhibition at the NPG? But it’s past six. They’re closed now…_ Elle kept thinking of the possibilities throughout the small car journey.

“ We’re here.”, said Harry pointing out of the window as the car began to slow down. She was so distracted and lost in her own thoughts that she didn’t even realise the path they had taken. A path she knew very well. The bright lights of Theatreland in the West End were shining before her eyes and Elle finally realised Harry’s plan.

“ We’re seeing _**Once**_? Really!? ”, she exclaimed with a big smile on her face. Harry smiled in response and she hugged him tightly.

“ Thank you! But what’s the occasion? You’ve already given me so much for my birthday.”, she said a little confused.

“ Well, you’ve been so busy with work that I think you must have forgotten what day it is.”, he said and she looked even more confused. “ It’s the 18th, Elle. Exactly two months ago I saw you for the first time after six years. I remember seating in your parent’s Drawing Room next to you and thinking how much you had changed, how beautiful you looked…”, said Harry tracing her forehead with his fingers. “… and how lucky I was to have you beside me in this crazy, political arrangement they had put ourselves into. Happy reencounter anniversary, love.”, he finished, looking straight into her eyes. She laughed at her own forgetfulness and leaned to kiss him lovingly.

“ You’re amazing, did you know that?”, she said to him and he smirked.

************

 _“Welcome, ladies and gentlemen to the Phoenix Theatre for tonight’s performance of Once - The Musical. Please remember to turn off your mobile phones and cameras. Thank you.”_ , they heard on the speaker as they took their seats. Being high profile people, they had to enter by the backdoor and take their seats only on the last call. Elle and Harry sat in the dress circle, which was the first tier above the stalls.

“ I’m so excited about this!”, whispered Elle to Harry as the lights we turned off and the curtain was up. The musical tell the story of Guy and Girl, who met by chance; each with their own problems and mistakes but who, help one another and eventually fall in love but can’t be together for one reason or the other. Onstage, Guy and Girl play together for the first time and Elle couldn’t help but notice how much the lyrics meant to her.

_“ I don’t know you; but I want to._

_All the more for that._

_And words fall through me, and always fool me,_

_And I can’t react”_

Indeed she couldn’t. Two months ago, on the first time she saw him again, Elle had been so nervous, out of breath and speechless when Harry appeared before her. By then, she was so confused. She was angry, sad and utterly terrified of the prospect of even being together with him, all the more, marrying him.

_“ Falling slowly, eyes that know me_

_And I can’t go back._

_Moods that take me, and erase me_

_And I’m painted black.”_

But those fears and sad feelings were in the past now. She had fallen for him; slowly, deeply and fully. Some people take longer to get to know each other, to truly understand one another. But with her and Harry, it had been easy. Maybe it was their shared history or maybe they were simply meant to be. Whatever the reason was, by the time they had met in Wiltshire, she couldn’t deny her feelings any longer. And from then on, their love and affection only grew. Looking at him, Elle smiled softly at them man who had mended and utterly captured her heart.

************

In the play, the last bit before the end of Act I, Guy finally realises that he is in love with Girl and decides to play a new song he wrote, in front of everyone of his friends and colleges. But when he sings it, he does it only to her.

_“ And I love her so,_

_I wouldn’t trade her for gold._

_I’m walking on moon beams._

_I was born with a silver spoon._

_And I’m gonna be me_

_I’m gonna be free._

_I’m walking on moon beams,_

_And staring out to sea.”_

Harry smiled as the song played. How funny it was that something so simple as a song could say so much about someone’s feelings? Two months ago, when he saw her again, he thought it would take them at least six months to properly begin their relationship. Oh but how wrong he had been. In less than a month after their first encounter, Elle had already gotten under his skin and was imprinted on his heart, never to leave. And on each day that went by, he became more certain of their future together, of their love for each other.


	28. Chapter Twenty-Seven: Don't you, forget about me

**Disclaimer:** see Prologue

_________________________________________________________________

Harry and Elle had left the performance of Once feeling completely different people. They felt more alive, not only more sure of their relationship, but also of their own feelings for each other. Specially Elle. Every time Harry looked at her with his sparkling blue eyes or held her in his arms, she couldn’t help herself and simply gave into him.

“ Thank you again for taking me to the theatre. I had a wonderful time, Harry.”, said Elle kissing his cheek as they walked to her door. They were now on the steps of her home, she standing in front of him, one step above the one he stood. He held her by the waist while she circled her hands around his neck.

“ It was nothing. I’m not much of a fan of musicals but this one I confess I really enjoyed.”, he said chuckling, shooking his head. “ It made me realise something.”, he said stepping closer to her.

“ And what was it?”, she asked in a whisper, running her fingers on his hair, smiling softly at him.

“ I realised, that for all the problems I’ve had in my life, I’d go through them all over again if it meant I’d be with you in the end.”, he whispered, then leaned in to kiss her. The chilly autumn breeze grazed their cheeks as they kissed softly on the steps of her home, making they pull each other even closer for warmth.

“ You can be such a cheeseball sometimes…”, she said as they broke the kiss.

“ I know you love my cheesiness…”, he replied kissing her again. She smiled through the kiss and pushed him, breaking it off.

“ I think I should get in. It’s getting colder and God knows I have too much to do to even think about getting sick.”, Elle said.

“ You’ve been working too much, my love.”, said Harry worryingly. “ You know… we could take the weekend off and go to Woodenford. There I’m sure you can relax…”, he completed and she sighed.

“ I wish I could, darling. But between the the 500th anniversary of Hampton Court Palace next year and the Historian’s Convention in Scotland, there’s so much to plan and organise. I have to oversee a whole selection of Tudor memorabilia that has to be cleaned and transported from the Tower to the Palace, plus a ton of paperwork for the convention. I have absolutely no time to waste.”, replied Elle.

“ What about me? Don’t you have time for your incredibly amazing boyfriend?”, said Harry, faking a hurtful voice.

“ Of course I do, darling. I always have time for you.”, she replied smiling sweetly at him.

“ Good! Because you are my date for my gala next week.”, he said as she eyed him with shock.

“ Gala? What gala?”, she said starting to panic and he chuckled.

“The Sentebale Gala. And don’t worry, I’ll give you the details over tomorrow’s lunch. Bumpkin’s at one?”, he said giving her a peck on the lips and walking back to the car. And before she could even reply, he had already left. She sighed and shook her head before entering her home. _He never changes…_

************

“ Trevor! Would you give me a hand with these, please?”, exclaimed Elle to her intern, who was helping her go through the objects and documents she needed from the storage at the White Tower.

“ Coming!”, he said from the other side of the room. They had been walking up and down that storage room all morning; cataloging, separating and choosing the pieces to go to Hampton Court Palace. Tudor Era was not her field of expertise but she knew quite a lot about it.

“ Here, take these to that pile over there.”, she instructed him, as she passed him two cardboard boxes.

“ Well, I think that’s all for today.”, said Elle as he put the boxes down in the pile she told him to.

“ Thank God. I didn’t sign up for this kind of thing. I’m a scholar. I work with documents and objects. Not heavy-duty labor!”, exclaimed Trevor sighing, as he came to stand beside her. She chuckled as she looked at his face.

Elle had a soft spot for the boy. Granted that she wasn’t that much older than he was, but she felt responsible for him. She’s known Trevor since he was an undergraduate student. He had come from a long line of lawyers but instead of going along with what was expected of him, he had chosen to dedicate himself to his true passion: History. His parents, stuck-up, upper class lawyers who owned half of Northumberland, were completely against it, of course. They kicked him out as soon as he told them of his intentions, refusing to spend anymore of their money with him, their “ungrateful son” until he decided to come around and start law school like everyone else in their family.

But Trevor didn’t care. Once he had taken his A-Levels, he gathered all of the little money he had from when he worked part time during the summer of his teenager years, moved to London and started an online History course offered by King’s College London. That’s how he met Elle. As part of her doctorate, she had worked as a tutor on a distance leaning course, on which he was one of her students. From the beginning he stood out. So cleaver and insightful; eager to learn. Soon they stablished a good teacher-student relationship, that flourished into friendship.

When she was offered the job at the Tower by Melissa, she knew she had to bring him along as her intern. It was his chance and now, he had received an scholarship and was starting his masters on the same field as her. Elle couldn’t be more proud of him. Not only because of his achievements, but also because he was determined not to give up on his dream, against all odds.

“ Well, being a Historian also means that you have to do a bit of heavy lifting every once in a while. You should see the piles I had to lift, by myself might I add, when I was working on my research in France.”, she said jokingly at him, who chuckled. Putting down her clipboard and pen, she turned to him and said:

“ Come on, let’s have our break.”, and proceeded in grabbing him by the shoulder and dragging him out of the storage room.

They took the lift to the ground floor and headed to the small cafeteria for the staff members. They each grabbed an apple, some biscuits and tea and walked over to where they had previously spotted Melissa seating. They always ate together during their breaks, seating at the same table every time.

“ Hey Mel. How are you today?”, asked Elle happily, seating beside the woman.

“ Hello Elle, Trevor. I’m good, thank you. What about you?”, asked the woman while sipping on her green tea. “ Had fun at the theatre?”, she asked.

“ I did…", Elle replied without thinking. “ Wait a second, how do you know?”, asked Elle looking at her quizzically. Melissa sighed and took a copy of the Daily Mail from her purse.

“ I saw it this morning. You’ve made the front cover.”, she said passing the magazine to Elle. The front cover had two pictures of her and Harry: one of them at Heathrow and the other of them arriving at the theatre.

> _“ Spotted! Harry and Elle on romantic date!_
> 
> _Not a week after their romantic trip to France ( which we unfortunately know little about, buh!) - Elle saw a picture of her and Harry leaving Heathrow from the day they arrived back from St. Malo -Prince Harry and Lady Eleanor were seen enjoying a performance of Once -The Musical, at the Phoenix Theatre yesterday evening. Our sources report that the couple could barely stay off of each other’s arms, sharing glances and kisses during the performance.”_
> 
> _There was a page full of pictures of her and Harry embracing, cuddling and even one of them kissing during the intermission. She kept reading on:_
> 
> _“If they’re trying to hide their relationship, they’re doing a poor job at that! And by look of what we just saw, Prince Harry and Lady Eleanor seem to be truly in love! What do you think, readers? Has our ginger prince finally found his lucky lady?”_

Elle sighed. Of course they’d seen them at the theatre. _Well, at least it was a good response to our relationship,_ thought Elle.

“ Well… I knew they’d print something like that at some point. At least they’re not being mean or rude…”, said Elle while Melissa and Trevor stared at her wide-eyed.

“ And… you’re cool with this?”, asked Trevor, in a mix of worry and irritation. Elle sighed again and shrugged. “ I knew what I was getting into when I started to go out with him, Trev. I’ll be fine.”, replied Elle and Trevor nodded, still worried . He cared about her and she knew it. Not in a romantic way, but in a kind of brother-sister relationship.

“ Okay.”, said Melissa, putting down her tea. “ Is it serious?”, she asked and Elle looked at her quizzically. “ You two I mean.”, she continued in a rushed tone. Elle eyed her carefully.

“ You know you can trust us with this.”, said the older woman and Trevor nodded. Elle sighed, putting down the apple she was eating, nodding.

“ We… we’re taking it slow. But yes, we are serious.”., she replied.

“ That’s good, Elle. I’m happy for you.”, replied Melissa smiling at her young friend. “ Just promise me you’ll be careful, alright? He’s known to fool around. I… I don’t wanna see you heartbroken.”, continued Melissa.

“ I will be careful, but… I have a feeling I won’t need to worry about getting my heart broken with this one.”, she replied smiling at her boss and friend.

************

Harry and Elle met that afternoon for lunch. She rushed from the Tower to meet him in time. As they ate, he told her about next week’s event. The Sentebale Gala was to be held on the 28th of November, at the Dorchester Hotel. Representatives, sponsors and patrons would be there, as well as some of the charity’s ambassadors. Prince Seeiso, Harry told her, would not be able to come due to an illness.

“ I hope it’s nothing serious.”, she replied when he told her.

“ Oh no… he said it wasn’t. But I guess it was enough if it’s keeping him from coming to the gala.”, said Harry and she nodded.

“ I can’t wait to introduce you to Joss. You’re gonna love her!”, said an overly excited Harry.

“ I’ve heard great things about her. She shot her video, for the Poppy Appeal at the Tower during the Exhibition. I wasn’t there when it happened but Trevor said she was very nice; very down to Earth.”, said Elle smiling.

“ She is…”, agreed Harry and they stayed silent for a moment. “ Who’s Trevor?”, he asked suddenly. Elle chuckled and Harry looked annoyed at her.

“ Haven’t I told you about him before?”, she asked and he shook his head.

“ He’s my intern. Sort of a protégé really.”, she said as-a-matter-of-fact like. “ So smart. I have high hopes for him.”, she replied.

“ Hm. And… how old is he? Are you two close?”, he asked and she laughed.

“ What is this? Am I under some kind of interrogation now?”, she asked jokingly and he stared seriously at her.

“ Oh no, don’t tell me you’re jealous of him! ”, said Elle and he shrugged, still looking annoyed.

“ Harry, you haven’t even met him! He’s just a kid! “, she replied sighing. “Yes, we’re close and I care for him, but like a sister would for a younger brother.”, she replied and he looked a little confused. Elle took his hand in hers and retold him the story of how she met Trevor and what he’s been through.

“ … and in these last couple of years, I think I’m the closest thing to a family that he has. I don’t know how his parents could have done that to him. But no matter, I’m sure he’ll succeed.”, she finished. Harry looked down to his plate.

“ I’m sorry… I was being stupid.”, he said in a low tone.

“ You were… but I forgive you.”, she replied, putting a hand under his chin. “ I’ll introduce you to him someday and you’ll see for yourself how great he is.”, she said and he let out a small smile.

“ Anyway, back to the gala. What should I wear?”, she asked and he smiled at her.

************

On the day of the Gala, Elle had asked her mother and Valerie to help her with the dress, makeup and hair.

“ This one or that one?”, asked Elle as she showed the two women two blue gowns.

“ Go with the darker one, darling. Oh, and you can wear the necklace Harry gave you for your birthday with it.”, said her mother. Elle smiled at the thought of her necklace.

“ Good idea mum. I’ll just have to take a shawl with me.”, said Elle hanging the dress on her door.

“ What about my hair. Up or down?”, she asked

“ Down, I think. How about we make it straight, just for a change?”, asked Valerie.

“ Alright, I liked it. Now go, go, go. I have to shower and get ready.”, said Elle shooing the women out of her bedroom.

Fifteen minutes later, she had showered, put on her dress robe and was starting on her makeup. Nothing too much, maybe she’d dare put on a red lipstick. A knock came on the door and it opened to reveal Valerie.

“ Do you need any help?”, she asked her best friend who nodded at her. Seating behind her in the vanity desk, Valerie started to straightening Elle’s hair, while the previous, finished her makeup.

“ You know… you still haven’t told be me about your trip with Harry.”, said Valerie. Elle eyed her friend from the mirror and smiled brightly.

“ Well, what can I say. We went to this little town in France, called St. Malo. We had a wonderful time there. And we… you know.”, she trailed off smirking at Valerie through the mirror.

“ And? And what?”, asked Valerie and Elle lifted her eyebrow to her her. Suddenly she realised what her friend meant. “ No! You didn’t?”, gaped Valerie.

“ We did.”, smirked Elle. “ Oh my God! How was it? Tell me everything!”, said Valerie putting down the straighter.

“ I don’t really know how to describe it but… oh Val, it was… perfect, you know? We took our time. We kissed, then as we started to pull each other closer then… it sort of just happened.”, said Elle smiling.

“ It wasn’t lust or need. It was love. I felt his love for me right there, while I was in his arms.”, she continued.

“ Oh Elle, I’m so happy for you and Harry!”, said Valerie hugging her friend by the shoulders. “ And that’s not all.”, said Elle and Valerie looked at her quizzically.

“ He told me he loved me.”, she said and Valerie gasped. “ He did?! Elle!! This is marvellous! You said you loved him back, right?”, she asked excitedly.

“ Of course I did!!”, replied Elle chuckling. “ It’s just like I told my mum. After all that I’ve been through these past months, I didn’t think something like this would happen so soon, but it did.”, said Elle smiling at her Valerie, who smiled back.

“ I’m glad everything is working out, darling. I truly am. But now let’s get you ready. We don’t want to keep Harry waiting, do we?”, sai Valerie to Elle.

************

At eight o’clock, Harry picked her up, dressed in his black tux. “ You look wonderful, my love.”, he said as she walked out of the door to meet him.

“ Thank you, darling. I must say you look great in this tux.”, she whispered to him as they walked to the car and he chuckled. They got into the car, Elle being very careful not to wrinkle her dress. It was floor length gown in two shades of navy blue; to complement it, she chose a pair of lapis lazuli chandelier earrings and her forget-me-not necklace Harry gave her for her birthday.

As they neared the hotel, Elle’s hands started to sweat. This was the first public event they’d be arriving together. Up until now she hadn’t realised how big this actually was.

“ Are you okay in there?”, Harry asked and she nodded nervously. “ Yeah… just a bit nervous, I guess. It’s our first real engagement together.”, said Elle to him. He grabbed her hand and kissed her palm.

“ What have I told on Valerie’s birthday, when the press was waiting for us at the club?”, he asked her.

“ We are in this together.”, she replied smiling at him, just as the car pulled on a stop. They could hear the crowd and the sound of flashed as Leo opened the door for her. Harry walked out first, followed by John closely behind him. Once she got out, she smiled brightly at him.

“ Come on Captain. Let’s do this.”, she said and he gave her his signature smirk. Hand in hand, they walked to the main door, occasionally waving to the waiting crowds. The paparazzi went into frenzy when they saw them together. At the door, Harry and Elle were met by the manager of the hotel who graciously walked them inside.

“ Welcome Your Royal Highness; Milady. Please, follow me.”, said the manager, guiding them through the hall and into the ballroom where the gala would take place. Most of the guests were already there, just waiting for Harry to arrive. At the door of the ballroom stood Daniel, just waiting for the signal to let Harry and Elle in.

“ Sir, ma’am. They’re ready to receive you.”, he said and Harry nodded. “ Thank you, Daniel”, then turning to Elle, with their hand still tangled, he said:

“ Come on, love. It’s showtime.”, and smirked at her, making her chuckle.

************

After his touching speech, Harry came down the small stage to Elle’s waiting arms.

“ You were wonderful, Captain. Just wonderful.”, she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. He smiled brightly at her and held her hand into his. “ Come, I want to introduce you to some people.”, he said pulling her along the sea of people. He introduced her to sponsors, representatives from the Lesotho branch of the organisation, foreign business man, potential benefactors and collaborators.

They walked from group to group, making small talk. Elle learnt a great deal about Sentebale from Ayondele, one of the representatives from Lesotho. She had told Elle how the project Harry and Prince Seeiso had developed through Sentebale has helped the children with HIV have a better life.

“ It’s truly amazing. I was aware of the project, but I never knew its extents.”, said a tearful Elle. The woman before her gave Elle an understanding smile. Elle turned to look at Harry who was talking to a few business man.

“ People tend to judge him for his foolishness as a teenager, for what he’s done in the past… and forget how much effort he puts in what he believes in. This organisation means so much to him.”, said Elle.

“ It does for all of us, ma’am. I’ve seen from up close, entire families being torn apart by the disease. But since Sentebale, things have changed for us in Lesotho. The life conditions have improved; the children no longer starve or die of something they don’t know how to treat. After Sentebale, they knew they were no longer alone. They knew that someone cared and would be there to help.”, finished Ayondele.

“ I want to help. I’d like to visit the organisation in Lesotho. And I’d like to help you all, as much as I am able to.”, she said to her.

“ Here, I’ll give you my email. That way we can talk more about how you can help.”, she said, writing her email address on a piece of paper. “ Here you go. Maybe we can come up with some sort of a project?”, suggested Ayondele.

“ Yes! I’d like that very much. Thank you.”, said Elle and the woman nodded, walking away. Elle smiled at the thought of working on something so dear to Harry. She was taken from her reverie by a hand grabbing hers.

“ Here you are! Come, I want you to meet Joss!”, said Harry, taking her by the hand to meet the famous singer. Once they approached the small group that circled the blond woman, she smiled at them and stepped forward.

“ Elle, this is Joss. Joss, this is my girlfriend, Eleanor.”, Harry said introducing them. The women shook hands and gave each other a kiss on the cheek.

“ It’s wonderful to finally meet you. I’ve heard great things about you and your work with Sentebale.”, said Elle to her. The blond smiled and replied:

“ Well, it’s an honour to finally meet you. Harry hasn’t stopped talking about you.”

“ Hasn’t he?”, she asked, tilting her head to the side and eyeing him. His response was to take her hand and pull her closer to him, giving her a kiss on the temple. “ Well, that’s because I love her.”, he said to Joss who smiled at the couple.

“ Harry has also told me about your project, with cancer patients.”, said Joss.

“ Yes, I’m a patron of Macmillan since 2012. They help everyone with any kind of cancer. It’s not exactly a medical association, but more of a support group. We work on helping the patients to get through not only each step of the treatment, but also by doing everything we can to make them as comfortable and secure as possible. Our motto is: no one should face cancer alone.” , she said to Joss.

“ I’ll be attending a big event on Hyde Park next year, to help raise funds for the construction of a support center in Kent.”, completed Elle and Joss nodded smiling.

“ Oh I’ve heard of them! I’m impressed… Harry, this one is a keeper.”, said Joss and they chuckled. _Oh I know, my friend. I know_. , thought Harry as he caressed Elle’s waist.


	29. Chapter Twenty-Eight: Could've loved you all my life

**Disclaimer:** see Prologue

_______________________________________________________

The end of November finally came, already bringing the cold winds that promised a freezing winter. Elle had been working like crazy for the past weeks, organising everything for her eminent trip to Scotland. On the next few days, she, along with a bunch of other experts, were getting together at the University of St. Andrews, her alma mater, to cheek the last details on the Annual British Medieval History Conference, held there every January.

The Conference was opened not only to researcher and experts on the field from all over Britain, but also to undergraduates and graduates students of St. Andrews. Being one of the scholars invited and a St. Andrews alumnae herself, Elle was yet to decide the topics for the seminars and open discussions she’d give.

Melissa was also supposed to go, but being a chief curator takes more time than one can imagine, making her unable to go. So, in her place, Elle would bring Trevor along with her instead. She was beyond excited about introducing him to her peers. She knew that with his intelligence, combined with the key ingredient of knowing the right people in the right circles, would soon enough make him be accepted by the academic community.

“ It’ll be good for you. You’ll meet new people, talk to other scholars, get to know St. Andrews, which by the way, is awesome… you’ll see. Everything will be fine.”, she said to Trevor as they sat in her office, while she packed her notes.

“ But what if I screw up or something? What if I say something incredibly stupid to someone important or-“, said Trevor but Elle cut him out of it.

“ I’m gonna stop you right there.”, she said putting her notes down on her table and looking at him straight in the eyes. “ You…. are most definitely not stupid! You’re one of the brightest people I know and I’m sure they’ll appreciate every question you ask. I’ve known those people for some years now, and trust me when I say that they’d love to talk to someone like you, Trev.”, she finished smiling at him, who nodded in gratitude.

“ Now, would you stop whining and help me with these?, she said pointing to the pile of notes she was sorting and packing. He sighed, smiled and nodded moving to her side to help her. As they went through it, he said shyly to her:

“ Thank you. For believing in me.”, his eyes never leaving the papers he was holding. She smiled to herself and patted his shoulder.

“ I’ll always support you Trev. You know that.”, she said and he smiled.

************

That evening, Harry came over to her place for dinner and stayed for a while longer so that they could have some time together before she travelled. They sat together after dinner, snuggled against one another in the living room sofa, hot chocolates in hand.

“ This trip feels more like a vacation than a business trip, to be honest. It’ll be great to be in there again… Oh! And I’ll arrive just in time for St. Andrews feast day.”, she said excitedly. Harry gave her a thin smile.

“ So, Trevor is coming along with you then. Since Melissa can’t?”, Harry asked.

“ He is. And when I go for the Conference itself, he’ll probably come too, since he’s my intern and all. But it will depend on his graduate schedule.”, said Elle sipping on her cocoa. She then paused and looked at him. Harry was pouting. “ What? Please don’t start with that jealousy of yours. We’ve been though this, my darling. This is a great opportunity for him and I won’t have anyone ruining his chances.”, she finished.

He sighed, putting his mug on the coffee table in front of them. “ I’m not jealous. I confess that I’m a little annoyed since I haven’t met the bloke yet, but I’m not jealous. If you say he’s only your friend, protégé or whatever… I believe you… and I trust you.”, he said to her, caressing her cheek.

Elle smiled gently at him and leaned in to kiss him. He soon responded to it, pulling her closer by the back of her neck, deepening their kiss. Out of breath, they broke it. Their noses were touching and they kept their eyes closed. Harry lifted his head and gently kissed her nose, then her forehead and pulled her closer, so her head rested on his chest. She closed her eyes and listened to Harry’s steady heartbeat.

“ So, what time are you leaving tomorrow?”, he asked. “ Our flight is at half past ten in the morning. We’ll take a bus to St. Andrews from Dundee.”, she said and he nodded. “ And what about you? What will you do while I’m in Scotland?”, she asked him smirking.

“ Miss you, work, miss you again, visit George, miss you more…”, he answered and she smiled.

“Awn… I’ll miss you too, darling.”, she said putting a hand on his cheek and giving him a peck on the lips. Then, looking him in the eyes she continued:

“ I love you, Harry Wales. More than I thought I ever could.” He tightened his arms around her, joined their foreheads and whispered. “ And I you, my beautiful, clever and incredibly stubborn Historian.”, then kissed her.

************

On the next morning, Elle woke up, showered, got dressed in comfortable & warm clothes and headed down for breakfast with her mother. Her father had already left and her brother was on a business trip in Berlin.

“ Good morning, mum.”, she said as she took her seat on the table. Her mother lifted her eyes from the newspaper she was reading and smiled at her. “ Good morning, dearest. How did you sleep?”, she asked.

“ Ah, you know me, mum. I can never sleep properly before a trip or big event.”, said Elle and her mother chuckled and shook her head. Elle shrugged and poured some Earl Grey for herself, along with a slice of almond cake.

“ Are you excited about the trip.?”, asked her mother. Elle smiled as she put down her cup of tea.

“ I am. But I think I’m more excited about showing St. Andrews to Trevor and introducing him to my colleges than the trip itself.”, she replied truthfully. Her mother eyed her worriedly and said:

“ Darling, don’t you think people might get the wrong idea if they see you travelling with Trevor to Scotland?”

“ They might, but I don’t care. Harry knows he’s coming with me and everyone close to me knows Trevor is my intern - slash - assistant - slash - protégé. He’s bound to travel with me for academic meetings and that sort of thing. ”, said Elle, picking up a crumb of cake from her plate. “ And, he’s my friend. I don’t see what’s wrong with two friends travelling together.”, she finished.

“ No need to get defensive. I’m just warning you that the press might think otherwise, my dear.”, said her mother, sipping on her tea and Elle sighed.

************

At half past eight, Elle met Trevor at London Stansted Airport, which is located outside of the city. From there, they’d take a flight to Dundee, then a bus to St. Andrews. “ Hey Trev! How are you? Excited?”, she asked as they met, giving him a hug.

“ Hey Elle. Yes, I am! Nervous, but excited!”, he said laughing as he returned the hug.

“It’ll be great! And… you get to celebrate St. Andrews Day, which is fantastic!”, she said smiling. Looking at her watch, she grabbed his arm and pointed to the flight panel.

“Come on, we better get going.”, she said. They gathered their bags and walked through customs and the security check.

“ I’m gonna grab some tea. Do you want some?”, asked Elle to Trevor when they finished their baggage checks. “ No, thanks. I’m gonna look for a seat.”, he replied. “ Ok. See you in a bit.”, she said and walked to the nearest Costa. Ten minutes later, she retuned to the waiting area to find Trevor engrossed in a book. She took a look at the cover and smiled.

“ I’m really rubbing off on you…”, she said pointing to the book. He chuckled and nodded. “ Yeah, I’ve been picking up some of your habits and preferences along the years.”, he replied.

“ Are you enjoying it?”, she asked sipping on her Earl Grey and once again, he nodded.

“ Onegin is one of my favourites… love, tragedy, despair. Just great…”, she said finishing her tea.

“ Oh.. and you should see the opera and ballet adaptations too! Not the movies, though. They’re okay but they lack some…feeling.”, she said smiling.

 _“ Passengers on flight 2307 to Dundee, Scotland. Please head to gate 9. Your flight is now boarding. Thank you.”_ , they heard on the speakers.

“ Well, this is us.”, said Trevor to Elle, closing his book. They took their bags and walked to the gate. Once they were inside the plane, Elle turned to Trevor and said:

“ Trev, there’s something I’d like to talk to you about.” He eyed her quizzically, putting down his book. “ Okay…”, he replied and she breathed in deeply.

“ Well, you know about my relationship with him and how it works with people like him”, she whispered and he nodded. “ Well… I… I wanted to tell that, the press might say something about you. They probably already know I’m going to Scotland, and if they take pictures of us, there’ll be a whole repercussion back home… I - I just want you to be prepared in case they say something bad or imply anything, okay?”, she said, almost with pleading eyes.

“ Elle, I don’t care what they say about me. What you, Melissa and my friends think is what matters.”, he said smiling. Then, with a more serious tone he continued:

“ And I’d never use you or your image… you know that, right? You, who have been helping me when no one would… I own you everything. You’re my mentor, my friend, my big sister. And I’d never betray your trust.”, said Trevor, taking hold of her hand and squeezing it.

************

They arrived in Dundee at half past noon. From there, they took a fifty-minutes bus ride to St. Andrews. The weather was obviously colder than London’s due to the freezing wind coming from the North Sea. But even for Scotland, it was incredibly cold for this time of the year.

“ Gosh, it’s freezing in here! “, exclaimed Trevor as they got off the bus at the station in the centre St. Andrews town. Elle chuckled and wrapped one arm around his shoulders, point to their surroundings. “ Welcome to Scotland.”, she said breathing in the cold air and sighing. “ Oh I’ve missed this!”, she said smiling.

“ Come on, let’s get a cab to the Uni. I’m sure they’re already awaiting for us.”, she continued. Elle called on a street cab, loaded their bags and off their were to the University of St. Andrews.

On their way, she kept point and telling Trevor about the places they passed through, recalling historical facts and anecdotes from her time as a student in the town. “ Ah see there, that’s the VIC! I used to go there almost every day with my friends… I have great memories from that place…”, she said as they passed through an old looking pub. Soon enough, the beautiful, tall buildings of the University of St. Andrews came into view.

“ Here we are.”, said the cabbie with a thick Scottish accent as he parked outside United College, on North Street. They got off, paid him and walked to the pavement next to the entrance.

“ So this is the famous St. Andrews?! Wow…”, said Trevor in awe as they walked into the courtyard.

“ Yeah… I had the same amazed face when I first walked in here…”, said Elle. “ Come on, we should get inside.”, she finished pulling him along. They entered the building, walking by happy groups of students leaving it. “ They’re probably going out to celebrate the feast. The Uni gives the day as a free holiday to the students.”, Elle explained.

Entering the reception that led to the Meeting Hall, Elle saw a woman behind the desk, typing very fast on the computer. As the woman heard the sound of heels clicking on he floor, she raised her head and looked at the two figures coming on her direction.

“ Do my eyes deceive me, or am I seeing Dr. Eleanor McClaire!?”, she exclaimed, smiling.

“ Mrs. MacAlister! It’s so good to see you again!”, said Elle hugging the older woman. Mrs. Fiona MacAlister was a short, elderly looking woman, with a thick Argyll accent, grey hair and caramel eyes. She’s been working at the University for twenty five years and was of great help to Elle during her undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate courses. She and Elle first bonded over the fact that both their families come from Argyll.

“ How have you been?”, asked Elle. “ Oh the same as always. Very busy.”, replied the woman and Elle chuckled.

“ Have you thought about retiring?”, asked Elle. “ Retiring? I cannot retire, dear. What’d they do without me here to organise everything?”, replied Mrs. MacAlister, to which Elle smiled.

“ And who is the young man with you, my dear? I thought Dr. Richards was coming with you.”, she asked eyeing Trevor. “ Oh this is my intern and protégé, Mr. Trevor Randall.”, she replied proudly. “ Melissa was held up by urgent business at the Tower.”, she finished.

“ Well, welcome to St. Andrews, Mr. Randall. And I should feel very lucky if I were you. Having this one as your mentor.”, said Mrs. MacAlister. Trevor smiled shyly at the woman and replied:

“ Oh I know that I am, ma’am. Dr. McClaire has been the most wonderful mentor one could ever have. I only hope I can prove my worth to her. ”

“ That’s good to hear, young lad. Come on, let’s take you to the your rooms and then you can meet the others.”, she said, gesturing for them to follow her. They walked back to the North Street and all the way to the junction between it and the South Street. There, stood Dean’s Court. A fifteenth century building that seats across from the ruins of St. Andrew’s Cathedral and it’s exclusively to postgraduates.

“ Here, my dears. I’ll let you rest for a moment. The meeting is scheduled to two this afternoon. So don’t be late!”, said Mrs. MacAlister. “ Oh! Before I forget. There’s to be a dinner party tonight, in honour of St. Andrew at the dinning hall.”, she finished. Elle and Trevor thank her and each got into their rooms.

After leaving their bags in their room and refreshing, Elle and Trevor headed back to the United College building for the meeting. Elle walked around the corridors, carrying her briefcase with her, feeling like she’d never left the place.

The sense of familiarity and nostalgia filling her. Stopping upon a great wooden door, she knocked and pushed it open. Inside there were seven people, doing different things. Two were seated by the table, looking through some papers. Other two were by the side table, drinking what looked to be coffee and the remaining three were standing close to the door, chatting. When they saw the door opening, they stopped what they were doing to see who was coming in. A bald, elderly man, who stood in the group closet to the door, smiled at her and said:

“ Ah! It’s our youngest scholar!”. Elle smile at the man and walked towards him. “ Chancellor Mackenzie.”, said Elle, shaking hands with him. Then turning to the others, she said:

“ Happy St. Andrews Day, everyone! It’s great to see you all.” Turning back to the chancellor, she continued:

“ Sir, Dr. Richards apologises but she couldn’t make it to this gathering. But I brought someone who’s very eager to help and learn in her place.”, said Elle, mentioning for Trevor, who had been frozen at the door, to step forward.

“ My fellow colleges, this is Mr. Trevor Randall, who was one my brightest students during his undergraduate course and now is my intern, pupil and soon to be Master of Arts.”, she said.

As she predicted, everyone was intrigued by Trevor and anxious to know more about him. She introduced him to every scholar, like a proud mamma bear.

“ Well, now that everyone’s been introduced, we can move on to the topic of this meeting.”, said the chancellor. “ Dr. Morgan, how’s your seminar coming along?”, he asked

************

The meeting lasted for about three hours, counting the one hour break for lunch. Thankfully, everything that needed to be arranged or sorted, was. The group then headed to Dean’s Court to change for the dinner party. Elle showered and changed into a simple dress, that she brought just in case something like this was to happen. On it, she pinned a small Scottish flag brooch she was given by Mrs. MacAlister when she graduated.

She met Trevor at the corridor and together they went to the dinning hall. The St. Andrews festivity dinner would consist of Neeps & Tatties, which are a mix of swedes and baked potatoes; Hot Game Pie, made with venison, pheasant, autumn vegetables; seasoned with rosemary, thyme and parsley, among other things and for desert, there would be Cranachan, which is a mixture of whipped cream, whiskey, honey and fresh raspberries, with toasted oats soaked overnight in whiskey. All typically Scottish dishes for the feast of St. Andrew.

They all gathered around the long dinning table and took their seats, with the chancellor seating at the middle, flanked by the senior scholars. Elle and Trevor sat at the end, being the youngest of them. Dr. Mackenzie stood up, holding his wine glass and everyone fell silent.

“ Firstly, I’d like to thank you all for being here and helping make this amazing event a reality. We’ve been trough difficult times but we always strive to be victorious. Secondly, I’d like to welcome our guest, Mr. Randall, whose opinions regarding the Convention were very helpful and insightful. And finally, I’l like you all to raise your glasses in honour of the patron saint of Scotland and our beloved university. To St. Andrew!”, he said and they all raised their glasses in celebration.

************

On the next day, Elle took Trevor to meet all the sights St. Andrews had to offer. First, they saw some historical sites, like the West Port, the medieval city gate of St. Andrews, the ruins of the chapel of St. Mary on the Rock and St. Andrew’s Castle. Then, they went into the town’s centre and visited some shops, cafes and bookstores. In the afternoon, Elle took him to the VIC, the pub she mentioned earlier for lunch.

“ Thank you for bringing me along, Elle. You didn’t have to, but I’m glad you did. You’ve given me such a great opportunity! ”, said Trevor excitedly. Elle smiled at him and patted his hand. “It was my pleasure. And besides, it wasn’t all me. You were great during the meeting! They liked your ideas… you must be proud of yourself, Trev. Now, I know you’ve been itching to go back and talk to that girl in the bookshop we’ve been earlier…”, she said and Trevor started saying something but she interrupted him. “ So, do me a favor and just go already.”, she said with a soft smiled.

“ Really? You don’t mind?”, he asked expectantly and she shook her head. “ Really. Go, I’ll be fine. I’m gonna read that book I bought there.”, she said and he grinned at her. He gathered his things, put on his coat and scarf, waved her goodbye and got off the pub.

Elle sighed, pulled her book out of her bag and started reading it. A couple of minutes later, a familiar waiter, Dennis, came in and asked if she wanted anything. She then ordered some Lady Grey, just to shake things up a bit, payed it and moved on with her reading. Elle was so engrossed in it that she didn’t hear someone approaching her table.

“ Elle?”, said the voice, full of surprise, love and remorse. She froze the minute she heard it. Slowly, she looked up and was met with the pair of blue eyes she dreaded to see the most. There, before her, stood the man who broke her heart and changed her life forever.

“ Colin? What are you doing here?”, she asked still shocked to see him there. He chuckled and shook his head. “ I guess we both thought about coming here for the feast, hum?”, he said and she looked away. He pointed to the chair in front of her, as if asking permission to seat. Elle sighed, trowing her hand up. He took that as a yes and sat down.

“ So… hm… how have you been?”, he said and she stared murderously at him. “ Really? You’re going to ask me how I am now?”, she says, in a irritated tone. He sighed and looked down at his hands.

“ Look, I know I was a jerk and a complete arse-“, Colin starts but she interrupts him. “ Yeah you were. You still are. And I don’t have to stay here and listen to your bullshit.”, she said, picking about her things and preparing to leave. Colin caught her and held he by the arm, their faces very close and said in a rushed tone:

“ Can we please talk? I’d like to tell you why I did it… I have to tell you.”. Elle looked at him, seeing regret in his eyes. “ Please?”, he pleaded. She then put her things back on the table and Colin let go of her arm.

“ Tell me. Tell me why you did it because three months ago, when I asked, pleaded for and explanation, you hang up on me with a bloody ‘I’m sorry’.”, said Elle seating back on her chair, anger oozing out of her.

“ It was far too complicated to explain over a telephone call.”, he began. “ After the referendum results, my parents came talk to me.”, he said. “They were the ones that made me do it, Elle. They said… they said they’d ruin me, disinherit me in case I didn’t break up with you. I got angry. I did’t understand why at first but they said there were things, things I didn’t need to know at the time, but that would be huge consequences for our family if I didn’t do as I was told. There was something about not being able to associate with you or your family anymore… Or you and I would pay for it.”, he said the last part in a rushed tone. “ They said you were a threat to the future… to our family’s future. So I believed them. You have to understand… they were so convincing….”, he finished.

“ WHAT?”, Elle wanted scream, but contained herself by muttering the words between her teeth. “ This is your big excuse for breaking up with me? With someone who stood by your side for six bloody years? We could’ve worked it together, whatever it was, but instead you chose to be an egotistical, self absorbed, idiot!”, she said angrily. “ I never took you to be that shallow, that coward, Colin.”, she said, disgusted at what he’d said.

“ I didn’t want to, Elle! You must believe me, my darling. But my parents, they know these people, dangerous people. I couldn’t risk it. I was going to be disinherited! I was going to put my life and your life at risk!”, Colin said, taking hold her hand. Elle quickly pulled it away from him. “ I’m not your darling anymore.”, she said. As soon as she did it, his facial expressions changed. His eyes became darker and threatening.

“ Oh yes, I’ve heard. You’re with that ginger mess of prince now.”, Colin said in an angrier tone. “ Moved on pretty quickly, didn’t you?”, he said getting closer to her. “ Tell me. Did you start sleeping with him before or after I broke up with you?”, he accused her. She couldn’t take it anymore and slapped him on the face, breathing hard as she did it. If their discussion hadn’t turned a few heads, this did it.

“ Don’t you dare say another word about him! He’s twice the man you’ll ever be!”, she said getting her things and preparing to exit the pub. Colin appeared right behind her. As she opened the door, she was blinded by the flashes of the paparazzi cameras. She retreated back to the pub, closing the door. The pub was surrounded by them. In the middle of their discussion, someone must have recognised her and twitted about it or taken a picture. Now, she was surrounded. Dennis, the waiter that had served her came closer to her and said:

“ Don’t worry. I’ve called a cab, they’re waiting by the corner. But you’ll have to go out though the front door. Sorry.”, he said. Elle thanked him a thousand times and inhaling sharply, she pushed the door open again, Colin right behind her.

“ Elle! Elle!”, shouted Colin as they walked through the sea of cameras and flashes. She walked faster and faster towards the street corner, Colin and the paparazzi behind her. Elle then quickly opened the cab door and said to the drive to step on it.

“ University, please. But take the long away. I don’t want them following me.”, she said as they sped away from the pub.


	30. Chapter Twenty-Nine: Confessions

  
**Disclaimer:** see Prologue

 **A/N:** Hey everyone! Thank you for the lovely messages and feedbacks :) This is a very small chapter, to put somethings out there, ok? I hope you don’t feel disappointed by it. Next chapter will bring more on Harry and Elle’s interaction.

xx Bea

_______________________________________________________________________

Elle arrived back at St. Andrews after thirty minutes walking around the city inside the cab. She got off at the North Street and decided to walk to Dean’s Court to clear her head. _How dare he!_ , she thought shaking her head in frustration. _How could he even do that to me?… I can’t believe I spent six years of my life with that guy!_ , she continued battling with herself. After taking very deep breaths and cooling off, she entered her room and threw herself in the fluffy bed. Reaching for her mobile, she called the only person who understand her that moment. Valerie.

 _“ Hey Elle! How’s Scotland? I heard it’s bloody freezing!”_ , Elle heard Valerie say in her familiar cheerful voice. “Elle? Are you there?”, asked Valerie

“ You won’t believe who I saw today…”, said Elle in a pissed off mode. _“ Who?”_ , asked Valerie in a different tone.

“Colin.”, said Elle, voice filled with a mix of anger and self-pity.

 _“ WHAT?! How? Where? When?”_ , replied Valerie, practically shouting through the phone.

“ Yeah. We met by chance at the pub we used to go, the one with the live band and cure atmosphere I talked to you about. I was sitting, minding my own business, when he appeared out of nowhere… He said he wanted to talk, and… part of me wanted to hear what he would say, you know? So I did… and in the end, I kinda slapped him…”, said Elle chuckling in the end.

 _“ After what he did to you, that was the least he deserved! ”_ , said Valerie overly enthusiastically. _“ So, what did he have to say for himself? I bet he gave you a ridiculous excuse…”_ , she asked.

“ Ha! He had the nerve to tell me that his parents made him broke up with me! Can you believe it?!”, said Elle, not even believing herself.

 _“ What is he, twelve? That is his big excuse for ending a six-year relationship?”_ , replied Valerie chuckling. _“Un-bloody-believable!”,_ she finished.

“ I know, right? He was such a jerk! Argh…. To even think about the way he looked at me makes me wanna puke. Oh… and there’s more. When I called on his bullshit, he came babbling on and on about how there were dangerous people involved and that, I quote, ‘for my own good’, we had to split up, blah,blah,blah…”, said Elle and she heard Valerie snort. “ You know what, in a way, I’m glad to have seen him again… at least now I finally got some kind of closure.” , said Elle and Valerie hummed in agreement.

“ The only problem with all of that was that someone, I don’t know who or how, recognised me and called the press or twitted about me being there. My face will be probably covering some ridiculous story on the Sun or the Daily Mail tomorrow.”, said Elle sighing.

 _“ Oh Elle… I’m sorry for that… have you talked to Harry about it yet?”_ , said Valerie. Elle sighed, running her hand on her tangled hair.

“ No, not yet. I wanted to vent about it to you first. But I’ll call him afterwards.”, replied Elle

 _“ Good. He needs to know before it gets out in the press.”_ , said Valerie and Elle agreed. _“ Do it now. Call me later and tell me how it went, ok?”_ , said Valerie.

“ Yeah… I’ll call you back. Thanks Val, you’re the best.”, she said.

 _“ Oh I know, darling. I’m your best friend… that’s what I’m here for. Now go call your ginger lover-boy.”_ , replied Valerie and Elle chuckled, hanging up. Sitting up on her bed, Elle began to dial Harry’s number. It rang and rang until it reached his voice mail.

“ Hey love. It’s me. I… call me when you get this, ok? I have something I’d like to tell you. It’s kind of important. Love you… Bye.”, she recorded and hang up. Feeling emotionally drained, Elle decided to take a shower and rest for a while.

*************

Back in London, it was late afternoon and Harry sat comfortably in his living room sofa, watching a James Bond movie with his father. Since William got married and moved out, Charles and Harry had grown closer to each other and developed somewhat of a routine of father & son activities. This, was one of them. After the movie was over, Charles, who was seating on the couch next to the sofa, turned his head to Harry and said:

“ So, how are you and Eleanor doing?”, with a kind smile on his face. Harry turned to look at him and blinked. He was lost in thought for a moment and then, his lips parted into a smile.

“ We’re good, pa. To be honest, we’re more than good…”, he replied, his smile growing bigger. Charles chuckled at his youngest son’s reply.

“ By your reply and that smile, I gather you’ve come to care for her, then.”, said Charles smirking. Now it was Harry’s turn to chuckle. “ Yeah… more than I thought, pa…”, he replied. Then he got closer to his father’s couch and his face grew serious.

“ You know… I love her. I realised not long ago. I really do. As I never thought I would. Well, at least no so fast. ”, he said in a low tone.

“ That’s explendid to hear, Harry. And what about her? Does she love you?”, he asked.

“ Oh yes… oh yes she does. And you can’t believe how happy that makes me.”, Harry replied. “ She… I can’t explain it, dad. She’s just wonderful and kind and so, so clever…”, he continued and they both chuckled.

“ I can almost see it, you know?”, he continued and Charles looked at him quizzically. “ See what, Harry?”, asked the older man.

“ Our future…”, he said with a dreamy voice. “ The engagement, than the wedding… our kids with ginger hair… Ha! That would be a sight, wound’t it? The ginger haired family…”, he finished chuckling, into looking to his father’s eyes, smiling broadly.

Charles smiled back. Looking at his son now, he saw a real change from the Harry he knew three months ago. His son was calmer, more responsible, happier.

“ She’s really making you happy, isn’t she?”, he asked Harry, who smiled and nodded. “ She is, pa. And she makes me want to be better, you know? To do more and to prove myself. Not only to the world but to her. ”, he replied. Charles then did something he didn’t usually do. He got off his couch, sat beside Harry and hugged him. Harry returned the hug awkwardly. “ What’s that for, pa?”, he asked.

“ Oh, it’s just your old papa getting emotional.”, said Charles, pulling away from Harry. “ I’m so glad to know that you and Eleanor are truly happy together. That’s all I’ve ever wanted for you, my darling boy; for you to find happiness and to be able to share your life with woman you love. You’re mother would be very, very proud and happy for you if she were here.”, finished Charles, with glassy eyes. Harry gave him a small smile with teary eyes.

************

After that heartfelt moment, Harry got upstairs and into his room to change for dinner. He showered and changed into jeans and a blue shirt. Looking at his mobile on the desk beside his bed he noticed a voice mail message popping on the screen.

Unlocking it, he went to his voice mail to check it. He waited a few moments a finally got to hear it. Elle’s voice, shaky and worn out could be heard from the phone and he felt a pang in his heart. What must have happened for her to be talking like that?, he thought, worrying about her. He sat on his bed and immediately dialled her number.

 _“ Hello”_ , said Elle’s sleeping voice. Harry smiled to that. By her tone she could see her all tangled up in the bed sheets, hair falling on her face. “ Hey love. How are you? I’ve just gotten your message.”, said Harry.

 _“Oh Harry! It’s so good to hear your voice…”_ , she replied in a relieved manner, sighing profoundly.

“ Elle what’s wrong? Has something happened happened? Are you alright? I got worried…”, he asked urgently. He heard take a deep breath.

 _“ I’m ok now but… I need to tell you something. Hear everything I have to say before replying okay?”_ , she said and he hummed and ok. _“ I met Colin today. As in my ex, Colin.”,_ said Elle and waited for his reaction. Harry went silence for a moment.

 _Okay. She's seen him. Nothing to worry about. Just keep it together, Wales._ , he thought to himself. He hummed and she continued:

 _“ I didn’t plan on it though. I was seating in the pub we used to go with our friends, just having some tea and reading when he appeared out of the blue, wanting to talk to me and explain himself. Anyway, I didn’t wanna listen to him, so he grabbed me and…”_ , she was finishing but he interrupted her.

“ He did WHAT? He grabbed you?! If I ever meet this guy I’ll -”, said Harry in an angry tone, getting up from the bed.

 _“ Nothing happened, Harry! Calm down, please. He didn’t hurt me. The thing is, he started insinuating things about us , about you specially, and I slapped him. In front of everyone.”_ , she said.

 _Wait, did she just say she slapped him?!_ , he thought, smirking to himself.

 _“ The only problem was that someone called the paps… they took pictures of me and Colin, and… argh, it was horrible, Harry. Thank God an acquaintance of mine works at the pub called a cab and I got out of there as fast as I could.”_ , Elle said sighing.

 _“ I’m so sorry, Harry. I know this is terrible for our image and -”_ , she said, taking deep breaths and Harry interrupted her again.

“ Hey, hey… stop. I don’t care about our image right now. I more worried about you. I’ll call Daniel later and see if he can do anything about it.”, he said and she stopped panicking. “ Our image can be fixed. Right now all that matter is you. ”, he finished, emphasising the last word. “ How are you feeling?”, he asked.

 _“ I’m tired and emotionally drained, but all in all, okay… Trevor and I are getting the first flight tomorrow. I can’t handle staying here right now.”,_ Elle replied.

“ I can’t wait to see you. But… will you be okay?”, he asked

 _“ Yeah, now that I’ve talked to you, I will. I needed to hear your voice and know that everything was alright.”_ , she replied.

“ Anything for you, love. Listen, don’t worry about what happened ok? Just rest and let me take care of everything.”, Harry said to her.

 _“ Alright… You’re so good to me, Harry . You know that? And I love you you so, so much.”_ , she said, her voice becoming sleepy again.

“ I love you too, Elle. I love you too… Sleep well, ok?”, he replied, hearing her hummed response and hung up. Turning the telly, Harry skipped through the channels until he saw a news report that made him pause and sigh.

> _“In other news, Prince Harry’s unconfirmed girlfriend, Lady Eleanor McClaire was seen this afternoon in the company of her ex-boyfriend, Scottish businessman Colin Mackintosh at the VIC, St. Andrew’s most popular pub.”_ , said the reporter while showing some pictures of Elle and Colin leaving the pub.
> 
> _“ The twenty-seven year old Historian, who’s a University of St. Andrews alumnae, was said to be there participating on a board meeting for an upcoming event hosted by the university.”,_ continued the reporter.

He put the telly on mute and dialled Daniel’s number, who picked up on the second ring. “ Daniel, I think we might have a PR problem…”, said Harry and he could hear his secretary and PR manager groaning.

************

Next day, Elle and Trevor travelled back to London, successfully avoiding all contact humanly possible with other people. Instead of wearing the coat she’d came with, she wore a hoodie, in an attempt to cover her face, just in case anyone recognised her. On the journey from Dundee to Edinburgh, Elle told Trevor, through text messages, what happened after he had left her at the pub. Needless to say that he was disgusted and proud of her at the same time.

When they arrived at Edinburgh, they proceeded to the nearest Costa to get some snacks. As they passed through some shops and small convenience stores, Elle saw copies of the Daily Mail, the Mirror and the Sun with pictures of her and Colin, in different angles and shots, on the front cover. She groaned internally and moved as quickly as possible to the farthest seat available on the waiting area of the airport, with Trevor no far behind her.

“ You know, for what’s worth, I think he deserved it.”, said Trevor to Elle, as he sat beside her. She chuckled and smiled at him, handing him a piece of her chocolate chip cookie.

**************

Meanwhile in Inverness, at his family home, Colin was sat in his father’s study, accompanied by his parents and a three men, all dressed in black. They were all looking at him, attentively, waiting for his answer.

“ So, have you talked to her? Is she really with him ?”, asked one of the men. Colin looked nervously at him before replying:

“ She is. And although she didn’t exactly confirmed it in words, I could see the truth in her eyes as she spoke about him.”. The man who spoke to him eyed his companions, then looked to Colin’s parents and smiled sinisterly.

“ Excellent. We should get the plan into motion then.”, he said smirking.


	31. Chapter Thirty: Loving can mend your soul

**Disclaimer:** see Prologue

 **A/N:** Oh. My. Gosh! The response I’m getting from you guys are amazing!!! Thank you all so much for your praises, love and feedbacks.

xx Bea

_______________________________________________________________________

As soon as she landed on Heathrow, Elle texted Harry. _“Hey love. Just landed. Taking the tube home with Trevor. Missing you! xx Elle.”_ , it read.

“ Are you texting him?”, asked Trevor and she nodded. “ I’ll probably meet up with later to see what we’ll do about, well, you know, it.”, she replied as she put her phone into her purse. They walked into Heathrow terminal 5 station, inside the airport. They were waiting for the train when Harry’s replay came. _“ Hi love. That’s great! Missing you too, my darling. Can you came to Clarence later for lunch? I want to see to you. xx Harry.”_

Elle smiled at his reply and quickly typed her answer. “ Of course I can! See you later, love. xx Elle.“ She put her phone away again and turned to Trevor who was smirking at her. “ What?”, she asked. He shook his head, still smirking. “ Oh nothing. It’s just that you had that silly smile on your face, just now, as you were on your phone. I’m guessing he replied to your message.”, said Trevor and Elle blushed slightly, then nodded.

“ I’m happy he makes you happy, big sis.”, he said as the train was coming into the platform. She smiled at him and they got into the train, seating next to each other. To take their minds off the previous’s day unfortunate event and its repercussions, Elle and Trevor decided to spend their half hour journey to South Kensington, discussing things related to the meeting they had at St. Andrews and the Conference.

“ I’ll need to your help with the research material I have to take there and the drafts for my opening presentation.”, she said to Trevor who looked at her wide-eyed. “Me? Help you with the drafts? But… shouldn’t Melissa do it? She knows your research far better than me…”, he said and Elle shook her head.

“ Well, I need you to help me Trev, because… well… I’ve talked to your professor at Kings and… we both agreed that it was high time we introduced your research to the academic community. So, I’ll need you to draft what you want to say because I’m giving you 10 minutes of showtime to explain a little bit about what it is to be a researcher, what it takes and the work your doing.”, she said and he gasped. “ Well, what do you think?”, she asked, Trevor still blank-faced.

“ Really? You’re letting me speak? Like, properly speak about my research during your presentation?”, he asked in almost a whisper and she nodded smiling. “Oh my Gosh Elle!!! Thank you! Thank you! I… I don’t even know what to say…”, he replied excitedly with a beaming smile.

“ You don’t have to thank me. You deserve it. And, truth be told, I’ve been thinking about it for quite some time now.”, she replied smiling kindly at him.

“ Thank you again for giving me this opportunity, Elle. I won’t disappoint you.”, said Trevor, still smiling at her. “ I’m sure you won’t. You’re one of the brightest, most hard-working and determined people I know.”, she finished.

************

Arriving in South Kensington, Elle and Trevor got off the train and said their goodbyes. While Elle was taking a five-minute walk home, Trevor was getting on the Circle Line junction for another fifteen journey until he reached Kings College’s campus dormitory.

“ So, I’ll see you tomorrow, Elle. Try to rest a little, okay?”, said Trevor giving her a hug as she prepared to exit the station.

“ I will. Take care, Trev. See you at work.”, she said returning the hug, then waved him goodbye at they went separate ways. She walked out of the station and turned left walking on Cromwell Place, then turned right on Thurloe Place, the street that lead to her home on Thurloe Square. She passed by small market shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants.

On her way, Elle made a quick stop at her favourite French Bistro on the junction between Thurloe Place and Exhibition Road, called Le Pain Quotidien, to pick up some scones and fresh mint tea to go. As she was readying herself to leave the store, a teenage girl, with a heavy northern accent stopped her, by gently holding her arm. Elle turned to face her with a kind smile on her face. “ Yes?”, Elle asked the girl.

“ Sorry but, don’t I know you?”, asked the girl and Elle looked quizzically at her. “ No, I don’t think so…”, replied Elle walking away from the girl. “Wait!”, shouted the girl. “ Yes I do! Aren’t you the one dating prince Harry?”, she continued and Elle froze on her place.

“ You are her, aren’t you?, said the girl again. Elle panicked and walked out of store as fast as she could. _How… Gosh! Is this real?_ , she thought as she crossed the street and walked into the last block before she reached her home. When she finally got inside her hime, safe and sound, she let out a sigh of relief.

“ Darling is that you?”, she heard her mother ask from the drawing room. “ Yeah, mum.”, replied Elle. Coming into the drawing room, she saw her mother sitting on her chair, book in her hands. “ Hey mum.”, she said. Victoria looked up and smiled sweetly at her. “ Hello, my darling. How was Scotland?”, she asked putting the book down on the table. Elle sighed and sat on the sofa beside her.

“ It was good. Everything is set for the Convention. Oh, and they loved Trevor… “, Elle said the last part with a smile.

“ That’s good to hear, darling. I’m happy for him.”, said her mum. “ And… did anything else happened?”, asked her mother, eyeing her carefully. Elle eyed her back and on that moment, she realised her mother already knew about Colin. Well, who doesn’t know?, she thought bitterly.

“ I’m assuming you mean the picture of Colin and I, right?”, asked Elle and her mother nodded slowly.

“ Well, it sucked. He came to talk to me like there was nothing wrong, told be some nonsensical things and I slapped him. It was the worst experience ever.”, said Elle to her mother, who put a hand on her shoulder.

“ At least that is over now, darling. You can finally move on. Because let’s face it, you weren’t completely over him. You needed this, even if it was as terrible as you said.”, said Victoria and Elle nodded. “ You’re right. Now I’m truly free of him.”, replied Elle. They talked for a while longer then Elle got upstairs, entered her room, leaving her bags near her vanity desk and threw herself on her bed.

A million different thoughts kept buzzing in her head. _Is this how it’s going to be from now on? People recognising me on the streets?_ Elle thought and started panicking. It was one thing to have the press taking pictures of you. But having normal people, who didn’t have any kind of restrictions, taking pictures themselves, recognising and following her around, now that, was a compete different story.

She briefly closed her eyes and tried to calm her breathing. That’s when her mobile buzzed. It was another message from Harry. _Hey love. Are you home yet? x Harry._ , it read. She smiled softly and replied to him: _Hey… Just got here. I’m gonna rest a little. What time do you want me to come by? xx Elle.,_ she typed.

Instead of waiting for his reply, Elle decided to take a shower to relax her muscles after having been seating for so long.

Fifteen minutes later, she emerged out of the bathroom, with a towel around her body and her hair dripping wet. She looked at her phone on her bed and saw that Harry had replied. _About 2pm? But if you want to come now I won’t mind. ;)_ , it read. Elle looked at the time. 13.26pm. She then went to her closet and selected a simple striped long-sleeved t-shirt, grey scarf, a blue skirt, black tights, black ankle boots and a black jacket as her outfit to meet Harry for lunch. Elle changed, applied some makeup and dried her her. When she was done, she looked at her watch again. 13.48 pm.

“ Mum! I’m out.”, she shouted as she walked downstairs. Her mother’s head appeared on the drawing room door and she said:

“ Alright, darling… take care. Oh… and send Harry my love, will you?”, said Victoria and Elle nodded.

“ I will. Bye!”, replied Elle as she went out. She made a different path to the tube station, not wanting to risk seeing the girl again. _Hey, I’m on my way. See you in 15. Love you. xx Elle._ , she texted Harry. She took the tube to Green Park, who was the closest station to Buckingham Palace; from there, she turned right and walked on Marlborough Avenue and then turned right again on Little St. James’s Street. When she arrived, she waved at the guard on the little booth and he opened the gates to her. Close to the booth, she met John, one of Harry’s RPO’s.

“ Good afternoon, milady.”, he said when he saw her.

“ Hello John. How are you?”, she said as she passed through the gates. “ I’m well, ma’am. Thank you for asking.”, he replied. They walked silent to the main door, which he opened to her. “ His Royal Highness is in the living room, ma’am.”, he said as they entered.

“ Thank you John.”, she replied and he nodded, walking away to another room. Soon, the elderly butler, Mr. Greyson met her at the entrance hall. “ Good afternoon, milady. If I may say so, it’s very good to see you.”, he said with a gentle smile on his face.

“ Hello Greyson. It’s very good to see you too.”, she replied. Greyson had been Charles’ butler since he and Diana lived at Kensington Palace and knew Elle since she was nine years old. After all, she, Ed, William and Harry had played together as children and, when she grew up, she was a constant presence in the house. He took her jacket and followed her to the living room. Then, Greyson knocked on the door and opened it for her.

“ Lady Eleanor, sir.”, said Greyson. Harry stood from the sofa and Elle got in the room. They met halfway and hugged each other. She had her arms circling him by the waist tightly, her head resting on his chest. “ Ah… it’s so good to be able to hug you”, she said with a sigh. Moving a little back and looking at him, she continued:

“ I’ve missed you so much.”, Harry smiled softly and raised his hand to caress her left cheek. Elle then took one hand from his waist to the back of his neck and pulled him towards her for a kiss. It was intense, urgent but not fast. When they pulled away, still in each other’s arms he began:

“ You have no idea how painful it was to know that you were in the middle of all of that drama by yourself, love. I wanted to go there to meet you but, in the end, it wouldn’t make things any better than they were… I’d probably punch the guy.“, which made her chuckled.

” I’m so sorry you had to go through that…”, he finished looking into her eyes.

“ It’s over now… And I don’t want to think anymore about it, alright?.”, she replied with a calm smile.

“ We won’t discuss Colin anymore. But, we’ll have to discuss our image with Daniel after lunch…”, he said and Elle nodded sighing. “ Don’t worry, everything is going to be fine.”, Harry continued, bringing her close to him once more.

************

“ The scenario looks worse than it is, really. What we need to do know is to counterattack. Give the public and the press something good to talk about you both. We’ll have to work with them. May I suggest a public event?”, said Daniel to Elle and Harry as they sat through a meeting on the drawing room at Clarence House.

“ We can do that.”, said Harry. “ What do you think, love?”, he asked Elle. Elle looked at him pensive. Then something came into her mind. “ How about we take a little trip to Winter Wonderland ? It’s been so long since I went there and it will be a good opportunity for people to see us together.”, she said and Harry smiled. “ You know, I’ve never been to Winter Wonderland…”, said Harry and she looked at him in horror.

“ Never!? At all?”, she asked and he shook his head.

“ That’s it, we’re going. What do you think, Daniel?”, said Elle and they looked at Daniel who said:

“ That’s an excellent idea, ma’am. And I think it’s going to work.”, he said to Elle. Then turning to Harry, he continued. “ Sir, if you want, I can talk to one of my contacts on Fleet Street.”. Harry looked at Elle who gave him a reassuring smile. “ Do what’s necessary to turn this on our favour, Daniel.”, replied Harry.

“ Of course, sir. So, let’s get over some details…”, said Daniel.

************

After the meeting was over, Harry and Elle hang out for a while in the living room, just sitting together, snuggled against each other, watching some random episode of QI XL, with Stephen Fry. Elle absolutely loved this show. They stayed like this until five in the afternoon when they decided to leave for Winter Wonderland.

Winter Wonderland, a seasonal themed park inside Hyde Park that held many different attraction for every age; From carnival rides, to Santa Land, the Magical Ice Kingdom and the world famous ice-rink. Harry and Elle, along with John and Leo, stepped outside the main entrance of Clarence House and headed for the car. Elle felt the wind blow on her cheeks and draw her jacket closer to her body. It was a particularly cold evening and Elle was regretting her outfit choices.

“ I should have chosen trousers instead of this skirt…”, she said out loud when they were stepping into the car. “ Now I’m gonna freeze to death!”, she continued and Harry laughed at her expense.

“ I’m serious! Stop laughing!”, she said once they were inside the car, punching his arm.

“ You’re being dramatic, love. It’s not that cold. I bet it was colder in Scotland.”, he said and she pouted. “ Awn, come here. I’ll keep you warm.”, he said pulling her close to him.

************

They arrived at the park at half past five in the evening. It was already packed with couples, teenagers, elderly couples and children. It was truly a pastime for the entire family. Daniel had provided all four of them with the tickets and tokens for the attractions they wanted to see.

“ Come on! Let’s go to Santa Land first.”, sai Elle excitedly, pulling Harry along by the hand. They walked normally between the people, getting recognised here and there, but no one approached them. In Santa Land, they visited Santa’s toy factory, took picture beside Santa, then went on the carousel together, laughing like children. They left the ride chuckling and holding hands. Harry and Elle walked along one of the lanes and decided to stop at on of the many cafes for some hot chocolate and biscuits. They sat together on a far corner, with John and Leo a few tables behind them.

“ Hmmm this is so good!”, said Elle sipping on her chocolate. Harry did the same and when he put his cup down, he had melted chocolate on his nose. Elle looked at him and laughed.

“ What? What is it?”, he said and she pointed to his nose. “ You’ve got some chocolate on your nose. Here, let me get that.”, she said, taking off the chocolate from his nose with her forefinger them licking it. “ There. No more chocolate on your face.”, she said and he smiled at her. Following up, they went to the more adventurous rides, including the Winter Wonderland Star Flyer, which spins on 360 degrees, 60 metres above the ground.

“ That was amazing!”, exclaimed Harry chuckling and Elle nodded fervently beside him as they left the ride hand in hand. “ I don’t know why it took me so long to come here.”, he continued.

“ See… I knew it was a great idea to come here.”, said Elle smiling at him. Harry smiled back and tucking a stray strand of her behind her ear. “ That it was, love. Thank you.”, he said to her.

“ You’re welcome, darling.”, she replied, holding his hand tighter. “ Come on, we still have the ice rink to visit!”, said Elle, once again pulling him along. The ice ring was, by far, the most crowded place at Winter Wonderland. Elle and Harry walked to the tickets booth, where they got to get a pair of ice skates each. Elle looked behind them and saw John and Leo taking a pair as well. _Poor guys…_ , she thought. Then, they left their things in the cloakroom, because of safety reasons, no one was allowed to bring their stuff into the ice rink.

“ Gosh I’m cold…”, said Elle and they queued, waiting for their turn into the rink. Harry then opened his arms to hug her. She snuggled against his chest, circling by the waist while he ran his hands up and down her arms to keep her warm. When it got to their turn, they put their skates on and off they went.

“ Wow… it’s been a while since the last time I did this…” said Harry as they started skating together. Elle chuckled then smirked at him. “ Don’t worry darling, I won’t let you fall.”, she said to him and they held on to each other. Harry and Elle skated together on the entire rink, passing small children with their parents leaning how to skate, some teenage couples making fun of each other and even an elderly couple who skated closer to the fence surrounding the rink.

At one point, Elle skated in front of Harry and they were standing face to face. “Come here you”, she said pulling him closer and kissed him. He cupped her cheeks, deepening the kiss. “I love you, Harry. ”, she said when they pulled away. “ I love you too, Elle”, he replied with a boyish smile. They skated for a while longer before they finally left the rink .

“ Oh my God! I think my face is frozen!”, said Elle chuckling as they exit the rink. They spent a whole hour there. “ You tell me! I forgot my gloves so you can imagine how my hands feel!”, said Harry putting them on her cheeks for her to feel them. “ Harry stop! They’re ice cold!”, exclaimed Elle and Harry chuckled.

“ Come on snowman, let’s get something to warm us up.”, she said and they walked to a cozy, wooden restaurant called Star Tavern & Village Square. It was crowded! They decided that it would be best to sit all together on the same table; Harry, her, John and Leo. The warmth coming from the hearth in the middle of the room along with good, traditional English food and live music kept everyone in high spirits. They all ate roast dinners, with Harry and the boys drinking home brewed ale while Elle drank spiced cider.

“ Is there anywhere else you want to go, love?”, asked Harry to Elle when they were finishing their meals.

“ Hmmm… I really wanted to go to the small markets they have here. It’s full of handcrafted things.”, said Elle with a smile on her face.

“ Alright. Let’s go then.”, said Harry taking her hand. They walked for a little while before reaching one of the small markets. Harry and Elle strolled around the little stalls that offered a various range of things: from sweet cakes and spiced wines to traditional Christmas decorations and handmade crafts. As they walked, Elle spotted a jewellery stall and decided to take a look. There she found different necklaces, rings and bracelets. All handcrafted with leather and different types of metals. Seeing all of those thing gave her an idea for a Christmas gift to Harry. Not wanting to have him around while she looked, she turned to him and asked:

“ Harry, can you get me one of those almond cakes from one of that little stall we passed, please? They are my favourites.”

“ Of course, love. I’ll be back on a minute. Leo will stay here with you.” he said moving on the direction to the cake stall. Once he was out of sight, she turned to Leo with a smirk on her lips.

“ Alright Leo. We have work to do. And we’ll have to be quick. You’re gonna help me pick a Christmas gift for Harry, okay?”, she said to Leo with a smirk on her face.

“ Yes, ma’am”, he replied chuckling.


End file.
